Dr. Amin Adam
DEPUTY ENERGY Minister
in charge of petroleum, Dr. Mohammed Amin Anta Amin Adam, has appealed to
consumers of LPG products to support the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM)
policy, which is partly to address the issue of petroleum fires in the
industry.
The National
Petroleum Authority (NPA) had a stakeholder meeting with residents of Tamale metropolis to interact with them about
the policy and take their questions, suggestions and feedback, as parts of a
long period to roll out the policy.
The authority is
expected to undertake a pilot exercise in Obuasi, Kweibibirem and Kade in the
Eastern Region before the entire programme is rolled out across the country.
So far, LPG
consumers in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western and Central regions have been
engaged about the policy. Those in the Upper East Region also had their turn on
Tuesday.
Interacting with
residents of Tamale metropolis in the Northern Region, Dr. Adam acknowledged
that the policy is not necessarily new, since it had been done some years ago
and that is why Ghanaians must embrace it despite the fears being expressed by
a section of the public.
Dr. Anta also
assured industry players that the policy would not result in any job losses, as
it is being speculated.
“There are many
people who say we are going to create unemployment through this policy… I want
to assure you that this government will be the last to kick people out of their
jobs,” he declared.
The Northern
Regional Minister, Salifu Sa-eed, who was also at the programme, admonished the
residents to embrace the policy, since it would help address the health
challenges associated with the use of
wood fuels in the region.
On his part,
Chief Executive of the NPA, Hassan Tampuli, reiterated his outfit’s commitment
to continue to solicit the views of consumers in the country before the policy
is fully implemented.
Gabriel Kumi of
the LPG Marketers Association, who indicated his outfit’s preparedness to work
with the NPA, appealed to the government to have a look at the tax components
on LPG products, because it would help open up the market and boost
consumption.
