CEO of NPA, Alhassan Tampuli with chiefs and opinion leaders in Nima and Kotobabi.
Some people in Nima and Kotobabi in the Ayawaso North District of the Greater Accra Region have raised concerns over the LPG Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
They expressed concern about the quality of cylinders that would be exchanged for filled LPG cylinders which would be re-circulated under the model.
Stakeholders bemoaned the deplorable nature of some cylinders.
Other wanted to know whether there would be additional charges under the model and how to ascertain the right quantity of LPG in the cylinder.
The concerns were raised at a stakeholders’ meeting to kick-start the nationwide community and regional based sensitization on the CRM and also solicit their inputs and support towards the full implementation of the programme.
Addressing the concerns of the stakeholders during the dialogue, Alhassan Tampuli, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NPA, noted that the CRM cylinders would be branded by the LPG marketing agencies.
The dialogue was between top officials of NPA, chiefs, opinion leaders and women of Nima and Kotobabi in the Ayawaso North District.
He noted that the LPG Cylinder manufacturing companies would run a cylinder maintenance session in order to evacuate old and unsafe cylinders from the system.
Mr. Tampuli explained that consumers would have to sign up with LPG marketing agencies to be able to purchase LPG from the distributors.
He noted that consumers, who own cylinders, would only pay for the cost of the LPG in the cylinder.
“However, if a consumer does not have a cylinder of his own, the person would have to deposit some amount of money with the distributor in order to be given a branded cylinder.
“There will be no ownership of cylinders again since the cylinders will be painted yearly by the marketing agencies,” he stated.
On the issue of proximity, Mr. Tampuli explained that NPA has begun engagement with interested people who want to be distributors under CRM, adding that they would license them to operate as distributors.
He said the CRM Implementation Committee, appointed by the government, would determine the gas stations that would be converted into recirculation outlets and those that would be allowed to operate as auto gas stations.
Recirculation vans would visit neighborhoods with the filled cylinders unlike the previous practice of LPG trucks filling cylinders in homes.
This, he said, would control the increasing rate of gas explosion in the country.
By Abigail Owiredu-Boateng & Marcellina Enyonam Fleku