Deputy Energy Minister Mohammed Amin Adam believes the roll out of the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) before the year concludes will enable the Ghanaian society to by 2030 have a safer LPG regime in place to safeguard lives and property.

To that end, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has licensed five LPG marketing Companies to undertake the Cylinder Recirculation Model although the names of the companies have not been made public yet.

The marketing companies will be responsible for the purchasing and branding the cylinders as well as the distribution of already filled LPG cylinders to consumers after they have been filled at a point and transported to the marketing companies.

Mr. Amin Adam further assured: “To our LPG marketing companies, what this means is that you have no cause for alarm. Your jobs are still secured. We are only changing the manner in which LPG is distributed and consumed in the country,” adding “Cabinet directed a number of actions including the immediate commencement of the implementation of the National LPG Promotion Policy based on the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM). The policy is to ensure that at least 50% of Ghanaians have access to safe and environmentally friendly LPG for domestic, commercial and industrial use by 2030.”

A total of 510 classified high-risk LPG retail outlets representing 77.4% will have their stations converted into cylinder distribution centres under the CRM while the classified low-risk stations will be considered as autogas refilling centres with improved standards.

The CRM has gained currency following series of gas explosions which have rocked Accra and Kumasi involving human errors during discharges and leaving flammable materials in the vicinity of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) leading to sparks and fire outbreaks.