TIG Post

Tag: LPG

  • NPA to seek cabinet support to remove taxes on LPG

    The Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has said the Authority’s goal in the energy sector is to help to eradicate energy poverty.

    In that regard, he said, the NPA would engage the Cabinet to remove some taxes on LPG to make it more accessible and affordable to Ghanaians, especially the poor.

    Dr Abdul-Hamid gave the assurance that he would make a case for tax exemptions for some time for investors who would be establishing cylinder bottling plants in the northern part of Ghana for them to have maximum return on their investments.

    NPA to seek cabinet support to remove taxes on LPG

    The NPA Boss made this known in Accra on Tuesday at the launch of an awareness and sensitization campaign to promote the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

    The aim is to discourage the use of wood fuel (firewood and charcoal) and increase the LPG penetration for domestic, commercial and industrial activities from the current 37 percent to 50 percent by 2030.

    Dr Abdul-Hamid said the launch of the LPG campaign was to make LPG affordable, available and accessible to the Ghanaian people.

    “We understand that perhaps the majority of the Ghanaian people are poor and most people cannot afford to buy cylinders and gas. So we at NPA in collaboration with our sector ministry are trying very hard to make it easy for people to access LPG”, he said.

    NPA to seek cabinet support to remove taxes on LPG

    The Second Lady, Hajia Samira Bawumia, who launched the LPG Awareness and Sensitization Campaign, urged the public, especially women to adopt LPG as it is a cleaner, safer, and healthier cooking fuel.

    She said the use of firewood and charcoal for cooking also contributes to climate change through emissions of greenhouse gases and black carbon as well as deforestation through the harvesting of wood and sometimes even economic trees like shea tree, and oak tree.

    She noted that Ghana, like many other Sub-Saharan African countries, relies heavily on solid biomass fuels for domestic and commercial cooking and heating.

    Hajia Samira said that women and children travel long distances to collect fuel in the form of firewood in most rural communities, and indicated that this time-consuming and exhausting task did not offer much time for other productive activities.

    NPA to seek cabinet support to remove taxes on LPG

    In addition to being strenuous, she said, there are many risks involved; including bites from venomous animals and increased risk of sexual assault.

    That, she said, limits access to education which tends to restrict opportunities for economic growth, in addition to the adverse health impact, and noted that “It is mostly women and children who bear the brunt of this.”

    Hajia Samira said LPG as an alternate cooking fuel is clean, safe, and efficient, and expressed joy that the NPA was promoting the use of LPG for cooking to ensure the attainment of government’s effort to increase LPG usage to 50% by 2030.

    “Estimates indicate that cooking with LPG saves about four (4) productive hours daily. These extra hours gained daily can be used in productive areas like education, agriculture, and other income-generating activities.

    NPA to seek cabinet support to remove taxes on LPG

    “By increasing access and use of LPG we have an unprecedented opportunity to not only deliver significantly on gender equity, but also improve health, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and enhance livelihoods; all in one go”, she said.

    Hajia Samira called for increased education on the safe use of LPG by including information on cylinder expiration dates and when to change or replace the various LPG accessories. I am confident that this campaign will ensure awareness on these issues.

    NPA to seek cabinet support to remove taxes on LPG

    Hajia Samira commended the Ministry of Energy and the NPA for their commitment toward driving awareness, adoption and use of LPG in households and other areas of the economy.

    In his remarks, the Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr Owuraku Aidoo, said the timing of the promotional drive was significant given the current debate about climate change with its associated environmental and health effects.

    He said Climate change posed a greater responsibility on countries to adapt and adopt more environmentally sound practices to save the environment from further deterioration.

    Mr Aidoo said it was, therefore, crucial for Ghana to play a lead role in discouraging any activity that has an adverse effect on the environment and my Ministry is ready to support the NPA and other allied institutions to stem this tide for our collective good.

    Source: myjoyonline

  • Fuel price hike: Ghanaians will have respite if Cedi continues to stabilize – IES

    The Institute for Energy Security(IES) says Ghanaians will enjoy some relief in relation to the increasing prices of fuel if the Cedi continues to maintain stability against the Dollar.

    This follows the latest prediction by the energy think-thank in the reduction of fuel prices due to the stability of the Cedi. The IES has however predicted an increment in the price of LPG.

    Speaking to Starr News, the Research and Policy Analyst with IES, Derick Hadzi said the local economy will feel the impact of the reduction soon enough if the Cedi stabilizes.

    “Two major factors that affect fuel pricing is that of the international price and the strength of the Cedi. At the international level, we do not have control over it. It depends on the forces of demand, what we have control over is the strength of our local currency. For the ending of October, the Cedi depreciated almost 30% to 45%. So for this second pricing window from November the Cedi has been a little bit stable.”

    Leading Oil Marketing company GOIL on Wednesday announced a reduction in the prices of

    Ghana’s leading indigenous Oil Marketing Company, GOIL, has announced a reduction in the pump prices of both types of gasoline (petrol) and gasoil (diesel) at all its retail outlets across the West African nation.

    A litre of petrol is now selling at Gh16.82 while diesel is selling at Gh20.50 per litre.

    Previously, a litre of petrol sold at Gh17.99 while diesel was selling at Gh¢23.49 per litre.

    This means that a litre of petrol has been reduced by Gh¢1.17 while diesel saw a reduction of Gh¢2.99 per litre.

     

  • Petrol & diesel prices likely to decline, LPG to go up – COPEC

    A brief and marginal relief may soon be on the way as the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) in its latest checks ahead of the second oil pricing window in November is stating that petrol and diesel are projected to see a price decline while the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is expected to be adjusted upwards.

    Ahead of the second pricing window which is expected on Wednesday, November 16, COPEC in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Duncan Amoah said: “international benchmark for LPG has seen an increase of about $32 from $598.27 to $630.56,” which he said, “could be expected to lead to an increase in retail price on current retail averages of 12.10/kg to a likely retail price of 13.51/kg.”

    To this end, what it literally means is, the price of petroleum is likely to move downwards to GH¢16.07 per litre from the current average of GH¢17.42 per litre.

    Same goes for diesel, as the expected retail price could decline from the current average of GH¢23.43 per litre to an average of GH¢20.25 per litre.

    The biggest gainer and scare will however be liquefied petroleum gas, which is expected to rise from GH¢12.10 per kilogram to a likely retail price of GH¢13.51 per kilogram.

    COPEC said the expected decline in the prices of petroleum and diesel is largely due to a “stronger intervention by the Bank Of Ghana with specific emphasis on petroleum import and space through targeted forex auctions.”

    The Chamber, once again, reiterated the need to revamp the Tema Oil Refinery to complement the country’s energy demands.

    “We entreat the Bank of Ghana to not make this intervention in the forex supply a nine-day wonder but to step up efforts to guarantee the needed forex to particularly the petroleum importation market while reminding our leaders on the urgent need to fix and operationalise the currently idle Tema Oil Refinery to contribute its quota to the much-needed fuel security and stability of the cedi whiles encouraging a rethink of the strategic role originally assigned the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST).”

     

  • Upstream petroleum chamber calls for harnessing of local gas resources

    The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana upstream petroleum chamber, David Ampofo has called on various players in the country’s energy sector to focus attention and more resources on local gas production.

    This, he says, is necessary to strengthen the sector and also cut down on the amount of foreign reserve that is used to import gas.

    As of June 2021, the total amount of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) imported into Ghana reached 7.49 million U.S. dollars.

    David Ampofo made the call on the sidelines at the maiden Ghana oil and gas conference organized by his outfit.

    Mr.  Ampofo said ” We need to harness our GAS, Ghana has a lot of Natural GAS yet we do not do much with it”.

    He admitted it was an area that required heavy capital yet is maintained it is an important activity to undertake like “the advocacy for the curbing of rice imports, we are being urged to grow our own rice and it is the same with gas especially in the current economic times”

    Ghana is said to have a lot of gas that comes with the discovery of crude oil yet there is the need to invest in infrastructure like pipelines and gas lines to harness this resource.

  • COPEC predicts further increases in fuel prices

    The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) has predicted a 10 percent increase in prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) with petrol and diesel likely to see an increase between GHS 3 and GHS 8 effective Tuesday, November 1, 2022.

    COPEC says this has been as a result of the international price movements of petroleum products.

    Currently, some Oil Marketing Companies are selling petrol at GHS 17 while diesel sells at GHS 19.

    “We are certain that one of the key things confronting the generality of Ghanaians currently has to do with fuel prices that keep increasing week in, week out. As of October 28, we were doing an average GHS 14 for petrol while diesel was averaging between GHS 17 to GHS 19 a litre,” says Executive Director of COPEC, Duncan Amoah.

    The government has currently assured that steps are being taken to “secure reliable and regular sources of affordable petroleum products”, to bring reprieve to consumers of the product.

    “Government is working to secure reliable and regular sources of affordable petroleum products for the Ghanaian market. It is expected that this arrangement, when successful, coupled with a stable currency will halt the escalation of fuel prices and bring relief to us all,” President Akufo-Addo assured.

    Industry players have warned of tougher times ahead as prices of petroleum products continue to increase.

    In an interaction with Citi News, the Executive Director of COPEC, Duncan Amoah said there is likely to be a further increase effective Tuesday.

    “Most of us expected that, the presidential address will attempt some urgent solutions to the situation we find ourselves in with respect to forex and ways to bring down prices. Unfortunately, the only bit we heard was that we are going to explore fuel from cheaper places, we do not have the details. To say that we are not probably out of the woods yet as far as fuel price increases will be an understatement. On Tuesday, expectations within the downstream market could go up again.”

  • 50% of Ghanaians to have LPG access by 2030 – Energy Minister

    The government is implementing a National Liquified Petroleum Gas Promotion Programme to ensure that at least 50% of Ghanaians have access to LPG by 2030 as part of measures to mitigate climate change.

    The Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who disclosed this at the opening of the 3rd West African LPG Conference and Expo in Accra on Monday said the NLPGPP is an enhancement of the erstwhile Rural LPG Promotion Programme (RLPGPP), with an emphasis on commercial and industrial use.

    He said the LPG sector offers a compelling way to support Africa’s industrialisation drive while leveraging the switch to cleaner energy sources, adding that, it would require joint efforts from academia, business, and the government to carefully drive West Africa to maximize the economic benefits along the entire LPG value chain.

    Dr Opoku Prempeh noted that although the usage of LPG as a household fuel has grown in several West African nations since the early 1990s, the average per capita consumption is still low by global standards.

    The Minister was hopeful that, “after detailed discussions via this forum on the promotion of LPG through policies and national legislation in West Africa, LPG consumption might be greatly boosted in the region.”

    The 3-day conference and Expo is aimed at reaching an agreement on making LPG available at an attractive price in the West African Markets and attracting the requisite investments for LPG storage and distribution infrastructure.

  • LPG usage increase from 24.5% in 2017 to 36.9% in 2021

    Consumption of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as main source of cooking fuel rose from 24.5 per cent in 2017 to 36.9 per cent in 2021, the Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has said.

    That, he said, was due to regulatory interventions such as rural LPG promotions, free cylinder distribution, intensified public educations on safe LPG usage, infrastructure development, improvement in supply and distribution and LPG pricing structure.

    Speaking at the 3rd West Africa LPG Conference and Expo under the theme “Towards Making LPG The Clean Fuel of West Africa,”  he said the objective of the government was to ensure at least 50 per cent penetration by 2050.

    Dr Abdul-Hamid said even though Ghana had made gains in LPG consumption over the past five years, there were challenges threatening the sustainability of the LPG market in Ghana.

    “… challenges such as slow uptake in particularly low-income areas, affordability, accessibility, non-adherence to safety requirements by some operators, old and unsafe cylinders, among others have threatened the sustainability of the LPG market in Ghana,

    “To remedy the situation, the government of Ghana in October 2017 launched the National LPG Promotion Policy with the objective of ensuring that at least 50 per cent of Ghanaians have access to LPG for domestic, commercial, and industrial use by 2030.

    “The Policy is to be driven by the new marketing and distribution model, the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM),” he said

    On his part, the Minister of Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, said the LPG industry presents an attractive solution to leverage the shift to cleaner energy sources while promoting Africa’s industrialisation agenda.

    “And I believe it will take the collective efforts from academia, the industry and government to prudently push West Africa to maximize the economic gains across the entire LPG value chain” he said.

  • Charcoal back in vogue; as some LPG users can no longer afford

    To Ms. Lola, who owns and manages a provision store at Awoshie, a suburb of Accra, the days of using charcoal to cook for the family were long gone. It has been years, she says, and so it wasn’t surprising that she had to search her storeroom for hours before finding her coal pot when she went back to charcoal a couple of weeks ago.

    But why did she go back? The answer lies in the sustained price increments in the alternative, Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG). Since the turn of the year, LPG prices have increased so much so that users are now forced to either switch to alternatives such as charcoal, or now purchase the fuel in bits when hitherto, they usually just fill up their cylinders.

    Ms. Lola isn’t alone in this rather dire predicament. Many households the B&FT has spoken to have expressed similar frustrations with regards to the rising price of LPG.

    Gladys, a single mother with three children, who also lives at Awoshie, said: “I own one of these small cylinders, but I have not filled it in a while. It is hard to fend for me and my three children, especially my little boy because I sell pure water on the street.

    “So for me, anytime I am ready to cook, I get at least GH¢3 charcoal, and I am able to cook. Using charcoal is stressful but that is what I am able to afford due to the price of the LPG”.

    In January, a kilogram of LPG sold at GH¢8.93, which meant the regular 14.5kg cost GH¢129.49 to fill. In May, the same kilogram was selling at GH¢11.18, translating into GH¢162.11 for the 14.5kg. Currently, it goes for GH¢170, and this does not include the cost of transportation.

    Meanwhile charcoal and wood fuels, unlike LPG, are readily available at various prices and sizes/weight in every neighbourhood across the country, which means that with the heightened economic situation, more people would opt for it as they look to cut down cost to cope with the tough times.

    Commenting on this during the launch of a pilot study on ‘Promoting ethanol as a clean cooking alternative in Ghana’, Executive Director of Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Benjamin Boakye, said the switch back to charcoal will draw back the progress being made toward clean fuels.

    “Already, people have started switching to charcoal and wood fuels for cooking, and that raises the need to look at others that can be domesticated. The dependence on the global commodity market has implications for how sustainable the use of LPG and other fossil-based sources that are considered to be cleaner are. We need to consider alternatives locally that we can use instead of going back to wood fuels.

    “We are going to create a bigger market for charcoal and firewood; so, it is a real danger. With the kind of price scenario, we are seeing currently, if we don’t get some solution and some alternatives immediately, we may see many people switching from LPG to wood fuels,” he said.

    The country, in 2017, set a national goal to ensure more than half of the population use LPG for cooking by 2030 instead of the traditional wood fuels which have endured generations.

    However, with rising cost of LPG due to happenings on the international crude market and depreciation of the cedi, there are fears that the worst is yet to come thus putting the government’s goal, as well as the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal Seven, in jeopardy.

    On the other hand, the World Health Organisation also estimates that about 4 million deaths occur annually due to indoor air pollution-related diseases. These diseases include pneumonia, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and lung cancer.

    Source: the bftonline

     

  • 4 arrested for refurbishing, selling abandoned LPG cylinders at Swanlake Masalachi

    The Kaneshie District Police Station has arrested four persons for refurbishing old and abandoned Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders for sale at Swanlake Masalachi in Accra.

    This was revealed by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).

    According to the GNFS, the suspects were taking old cylinders, welding off the worn-out metal portions before spraying them to be re-sold on the open market.

    In a joint operation by the Police and Fire Service, several old LPG cylinders and equipment used in their refurbishments were retrieved.

    The arrest comes shortly after a caution by the Fire Service to the public to be conscious of their safety when purchasing cylinders on the market.

    According to the Service, some people have abrasively repaired spoilt cylinders and taken them to the market for sale.

    “GNFS has observed with concern the nefarious activities of some unscrupulous people who go round (sometimes to dumping sites) to collect or cheaply buy damaged or old and worn-out LPG cylinders.”

    “These cylinders are repaired (abrasively and adhesively treated, and the ripped metal pans welded together), sprayed and taken to the open market for sale and use by the unsuspecting public”, the Service warned in a statement.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • LPG will pay GH¢200 monthly allowance to every Ghanaian child if voted into power – Akpaloo

    The Founder and Leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Percival Kofi Akpaloo has asked Ghanaians to forget about National Democratic Congress(NDC) and New Patriotic Party(NPP) to support the Liberal Party of Ghana to initiate the social intervention dubbed ‘Child Benefit’ policy.

    According to him, LPG winning the 2024 elections will ensure the massive transformation of the economy hence his party will initiate a social intervention policy dubbed ‘Child Benefit’ to meet the needs of Ghanaian children if given the nod to govern the nation.

    Kofi Akpaloo explained that the party would roll out policies and programmes to benefit children across all the spheres of social life.

    “The Party intends to pay GH¢200.00 monthly stipend to every Ghanaian child from age one to 18, while twins will receive GH¢300.”

    Kofi Akpaloo told Fiifi Pratt on Accra-based Kingdom Plus FM, that the lack of child welfare policy exposes children to various harmful practices and it was time the nation prioritized children’s welfare.

    He said successive governments failed to prioritize children’s needs, beginning from the country’s democratic dispensation.

    True transformation of the society, he believed could not be achieved without a policy on child rights that supported their education, health and livelihood programmes, particularly in vulnerable constituencies.

    Source: kingdomfmonline.com

  • Gas tanker filled with LPG crashes on Tema motorway

    A gas tanker filled with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has crashed on the Tema motorway.

    According to a 3new.com report, the accident occurred on the dawn of Thursday, April 28, 2022.

    Personnel of Ghana Fire Service are reported to be on the ground ensuring the tanker does not explode.

    Also, an empty gas tanker has been transported to the accident scene for the transfer of the LPG in the crashed tanker with the registration number GN 4513-2.

    According to some witnesses on Twitter, the incident has resulted in most of the vehicles heading toward Tema returning back to Accra.

    The Ghana Police Service is yet to comment on the matter, however, there are personnel on the ground controlling the traffic the accident has caused. Motorists using the motorway have been advised to drive carefully.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Government to restore PSRLs on petrol, diesel and LPG effective February 1

    The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has indicated its decision to restore the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levies (PSRL) on petrol, diesel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) products effective February 1, 2022.

    President Akufo-Addo had directed the National Petroleum Authority to extend the removal of the Price Stabilisation and Recovery Levies on petrol, diesel, and LPG to the end of January.

    Following the exhaustion of the grace period, the NPA has restored the PSRLs.

    “We hereby wish to inform all Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and LPG Marketing Companies (LPGMCs) that effective 1st February, 2022, the PSRLs on petrol, diesel and LPG have been fully restored,” it said in a statement.

    Government to restore PSRLs on petrol, diesel and LPG effective February 1

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • Investing in girls’ education will be my focus – LPG Candidate

    Mrs Dorcas Brobbey, the Parliamentary Candidate for the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) in the New Juaben North constituency, has promised to focus on Girls education and women empowerment to improve on the socio-economic development of the area, given the nod on December 7.

    She said there were high rates of illiteracy and poverty among women in the area because of low education and empowerment skills that would propel them for jobs and appealed to the women in the constituency to vote for her to turn their fortunes around, through an aggressive agenda she would pursue as the Member of Parliament for the area.

    Mrs Brobbey was speaking during an inter-party dialogue debate organised by the National Commission For Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with the Justice and Peace Commission, for parliamentary candidates in the area to interact with their electorate and solicit for votes, at Oyoko.

    She observed that due to poor arrangement under the school feeding programme, Caterers enrolled to provide nutritious meals for children were not meeting the expectation in terms of the quality of food they served the children due to delays in payment and pledged to institute a measure in the constituency to address this if given the nod.

    The LPG candidate said as a teacher, she appreciated the impact of lack of computers in most basic schools in the area and on teaching and learning and said since ICT was an examinable subject it was imperative for every school to have a well-equipped ICT centre and promised to provide every basic school in the area with computers to develop the interest of pupils in that subject.

    Speaking on employment, she said she would support traders with soft loans to boost their businesses and build an ultra-modern market in the community, and organize skills and development training for Person’s living With Disability (PWDs) to enhance equal job opportunities for them to address begging on the streets.

    Mrs Brobbey, a teacher who is contesting for the first time with three men including; the incumbent, Nana Adjei Boateng a Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development said, over the years the constituency was represented by men and it was high time a woman was given the chance to change the agenda for rapid development.

    She, therefore, called on the electorate to change their voting pattern and called on women especially to rally behind her by going out on December 7, to vote for her to become the first woman MP in the area.

    Source: GNA

  • LPG stations without trained attendants to be closed down

    Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LGP) stations without trained and certified attendants would soon be closed down, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said.

    EPA said it would renew the environmental permits of LPG stations based on the evidence of training of the staff of the company.

    This was contained in a speech read on behalf of the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Mr Henry Kokofu, at the opening of a three-day training programme for managers, supervisors and pump attendants of LPG companies in the Eastern Region at Koforidua.

    The programme, which started last year, aimed to train LPG station pump attendants and managers on safety and best international practices in the handling of LPG.

    He said between 2007 and 2015, the country recorded 19 incidents, involving activities at gas refilling stations in which 96 people died and 486 people were injured.

    Mr Kokofu said investigations into the incidents indicated that all the cases were due to human errors and that in many instances, players in the LPG value chain had no training in the safe handling of LPG.

    He said it was in the light of such development that EPA and other stakeholders decided to initiate the training to protect public safety and investment in the industry.

    Mr Evans Opare of Department of Factory Inspectorate called on LPG companies to put in place safety management plans and to comply with plans to reduce the risk in their operations.

    He urged the companies to set standards for their operations, conduct risk assessment and adopt measures to reduce the risks in their activities.

    Mr Opare said many owners of LPG companies felt that it was expensive to comply with safety regulations, adding that it was rather costly to respond to emergencies.

    He said one could lose investment and human lives.

    Mr Joseph Koranteng, Eastern Regional Deputy Commander of the Fire Service, advised LPG companies to place the fire extinguishers on their facilities at strategic places where they could reach them quickly in emergencies.

    He advised the companies against placing the fire extinguishers near the gas pump because, in case of a fire outbreak at the pump, it would be difficult to get access to them.

    Mr Koranteng said the Fire Service was ready to offer services to gas companies on request to help train their personnel in fire safety and the assessment of their fire safety equipment.

    Mr Felix Offei of Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority advised owners of LPG stations to properly document their land and seek the necessary documentation from the relevant authorities.

    The Eastern Regional Director of EPA, Mr Felix Addo-Okyere said the region had not recorded any major gas explosion.

    However, it was necessary to enhance the knowledge of workers in the petroleum value chain in the region.

    Source: GNA

  • Blame police for gas shortages Ghanaians told

    The National Chair of the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union, Bernard Owusu has blamed the strike action of gas tanker drivers on a few bad nuts in the Ghana Police Service.

    Parts of the Greater Accra, Western and Central Regions were hit by an acute shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

    The situation left consumers who depend on LPG for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes stranded.

    According to Bernard Owusu, the continuous harassment of gas tanker drivers by the police is what led them to go on strike which inadvertently affected the ordinary Ghanaian.

    “We have faced some issues in the past few months and that is what we were working on resolving. The Police always harass our drivers whenever they load products from the Atoabo Gas Plant to Tema. They take money from them and conduct unnecessary checks frustrating our drivers”.

    He furthered that these checks were meant to be done by the Customs division of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and not the police. “So we went to the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and complained to them about these harassments. They assured us they will resolve the issue but nothing happened, hence, our strike action”.

    The National Chair of the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union disclosed that the union had met with the Labour Ministry which had promised to address their concerns in the next two weeks. “We have resumed duty and Ghanaians will get their gas and we expect the Labour Ministry to resolve issues in two weeks as promised”, he told Sefa Danquah on the Epa Hoa Daben political talk show.

    In a press release dated Sunday, November 1, 2020, signed by the leadership of the General Transport Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU), Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union (GNPTDU), Gas Tanker Drivers Union (GTDU) and the Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Bright Wireko-Brobbey, the drivers announced their resumption of duty.

    “Following a sit-down strike by members of the Gas Tanker Drivers Union (GTDU) from 29th October 2020, an emergency meeting was held between the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) under the directive of the Minister on one hand and the Ghana Transport Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU) of GTUC, Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union (GNPTDU), Liquified Petroleum Gas Marketing Companies (LPGMC), Ghana LPG Operators Association (GLiPGOA) and Oil Marketing Companies of Liquified Petroleum Gas (OMCLPG) on the other hand on Sunday, 1st November, 2020 to resolve the impasse,” the press release announcing the calling off of the strike said.

    “The Ministry assures the general public that the drivers have resumed duty with immediate effect as the government takes steps to resolve the matter with all the urgency that it deserves,” it added.

    Source: Happy 98.9FM

  • LPG tanker drivers divided over strike

    There are reports of a partial shortage of LPG products over the weekend, especially in pockets of places around Accra and Takoradi in the Western region, following a decision some aggrieved tanker drivers to down their tools over industry-related issues, including their welfare.

    The union some weeks ago at a press conference accused officials of the NPA, of conniving with some Police officers to harass them on the roads.

    The drivers also wanted approval for more than 80 applications submitted to the NPA to enable them construct LPG station.

    Again, they claim their welfare issues have been ignored, a situation which has forced some of them to hit on hard times.

    But the NPA in a response refuted some of the claims and put out evidence which suggests series of meetings had taken place over the issue which the driver union actively participated.

    After the release, the NPA, AOMC, LPG marketers, Tanker owners and the drivers met, to discuss the issues and find a resolution to the impasse. Another meeting also took place with the Police hierarchy to address the issue of harassment. A source told Starrfm.com.gh that assurances were given in that regard by a senior police personnel, who said any of their men who misconduct themselves in this regard will be dealt with.

    But a source at the meeting says the latest partial strike has come as a surprise to some of them, including some drivers, who believe their concerns are already being addressed, one after the other.

    Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source says the partial strike is the insistence of the NPA to follow the rules governing the granting of construction permits, which some of the leadership of the drivers union are not interested in.

    “ They have already being granted license for 11 stations, but it appears they want more, which is not even right especially when one considers that cabinet in 2017 temporarily suspended the issuance of construction permits, while the NPA looks at the safety concerns being raised by the public,” says the source.

    “These drivers and their collaborators want the regulator to bend the safety rules so they can have their way but should the unfortunate happen, it is the public that will be impacted.”

    Documents available indicate that some leaders of the LPG tanker drivers had even constructed stations without obtaining the required permits from the appropriate agencies, but are seeking for approval to be given them.

    “Is it the money they want at the expense of public safety,? An aggrieved driver who is not in support of the strike asked.

    There are also suspicions that the strike is being used to push government to bend the safety rules because of the upcoming elections.

    Source: Starr FM

  • I will not appoint relatives into my government Kofi Akpaloo

    Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo, the Flagbearer of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) says he will not appoint any relative into his government if voted into power in the December 2020 General Election.

    The decision is part of a broader measure of the Party to “significantly reduce corruption from the top to the grassroots.”

    Mr Akpaloo, who said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said: “The LPG intends to build proper control mechanisms to punish everyone involved in corruption.

    “The question is, are people ready to make people close to them or in their government pay for corruption they are involved in? But I am ready to make sure right things are done all the time. That is why I have promised that we are not going to put my relatives and family members in my government.”

    To ensure the welfare of the needy, he said the LPG intended to put money directly into the pockets of children and younger adults under its “Child Benefits Intervention” programme.

    Every child below the age of 18 would receive a monthly allowance of GH¢200.00, and twins would receive GH¢300.00 while those above 18 and unemployed would receive GH¢300.00.

    The LPG, he said, was also working at setting up a 10-billion dollar job fund to offer students from universities and polytechnics loans to startup businesses.

    The loans, which will come with little interest could be as high as GH¢250,000.00.

    The Flagbearer said his government would also lead the nation to build her own “Cocoa Processing Facility” to produce chocolate for export to stop the exportation of cocoa for finished products.

    This, he said could create about 250,000 direct jobs to add value to the cocoa base.

    Mr Akpaloo said his government would also encourage joint-ventures to boost rice and poultry production to reduce imports.

    The boosting of poultry products could lead to the production of 550 million birds per annum to feed the West African sub-region, he observed. Mr Akpaloo said the LPG would also introduce the “Affordable Housing Plan” especially for the needy.

    The nation under the LPG-led administration would also build a complete city within the “Bono-Ahafo” enclave to serve as the “Administrative Capital” of the country, while Accra remained the “Commercial Capital”.

    The Flagbearer said Ghana needed fast trains to improve commercial activities, adding that people should be able to move from Accra and get to Tamale within an hour and from Aflao to Elubo within the same time frame to open up the country for rapid growth.

    In the area of sanitation, Sanitary Inspectors would be employed and deployed to work across the country to cause the arrest of people who litter the environment indiscriminately.

    “CCTV cameras would also be fixed across the country, especially in the populated areas to record and help trace people who flout the rule. This will even make it difficult for the sanitary inspectors to collect bribes. People will also be held accountable if they allow for people to litter around their houses and work places,” he said.

    Mr Akpaloo said: “The LPG believes monies can be generated from borrowing from the Bank of Ghana and paying back with interest to prosecute the agenda.

    “As a country, we have borrowed but wasted the money by using it for unnecessary stuff. We are going to borrow the money to invest in our people and good projects to grow this economy and pay back.”

    Source: GNA

  • EPA scale up efforts to license LPG Pump Attendants

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has scaled up efforts to license Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Pump Attendants as part of a broader process to inject professionalism into the sector to reduce accidents connected with gas usage.

    The EPA has, therefore, rolled-out the second phases of the training process fixed for August 18th to 20th, which forms part of the general requirements for the licensing regime to start.

    Mr John Alexis Pwamang, the EPA Acting Executive Director, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview, that LPG Attendants must go through “Environmental Safety and Best Practices Training (ESBPT)”.

    The ESBPT syllabus is divided into phases, which involves theoretical classroom and practical field training, leading to the award of an initial certificate of participation, after which the attendants would be monitored for adherence to best practices.

    He said the Attendants would again go through another theoretical classroom and practical field training at the end of which he or she would be licensed to operate as a Certified Professional LPG Pump Attendants.

    Mr Pwamang appealed to LPG Owners and Dealers as well as Pump Attendants to enrol in the on-going EPA Environmental Safety and Best Practices Training, which seeks to raise awareness about the hazards of LPG and the preventive mechanism available.

    He said the training would also target Owners, Dealers, and Station Supervisors to ensure that “we adhere to international best practices in our operations in the country.”

    Mr Pwamang explained that the certification emanated from the background that the series of gas explosions and gas-related fire outbreaks in the country, which had resulted in the loss of lives and property was attributed to lack of understanding and failure to observe simple safety protocols.

    He said investigations into these incidents and accidents revealed several causes, the most critical and common one being that most of the workers along the supply chain did not have the requisite knowledge and skills required to work.

    “It is as a result of these revelations that the regulatory institutions decided to organsise a training programme to Train and Certify all the operators to ensure that LPG risk is reduced to the minimum in the country,” the EPA Executive Director stated.

    Mr Pwamang said all actors including regulators, investors, dealers, attendants, and consumers needed to work together to reduce the hazards associated with the usage of LPG.

    “We have LPG around us in our homes, cars, workplaces, and restaurants among others. We, therefore, need to understand its proper usage”.

    “As a major player in charge of environmental protection we have identified education as a missing link, therefore we want to build the capacity of station attendants who play a critical interface in the whole operations of selling LPG to end-users.”

    He said EPA was collaborating with other technical partners such as the Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana LPG Operators Association (GLiPGOA), Department of Factories Inspectorate, National Petroleum Authority among others.

    He called on the LPG Marketing Companies Association and other stakeholders to ensure their attendants participated in the training as well as dealers and owners to help protect their investments.

    Source: GNA

  • LPG commiserates with NPP over passing of Sir John

    The leadership and members of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) has extended its heartfelt condolences to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the family of the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, a.k.a Sir John.

    A statement signed by its National Chairman, John Amekah on Thursday, said the LPG received the news of the demise of the NPP’s former General Secretary with a great shock.

    It said the sudden passing away of Sir John had saddened the Party and hit the entire political landscape of the country hard.

    “Let us all encourage ourselves in the fact that our colleague served his country and God to the best of his abilities.

    “May the Lord guide and guard as all,” the statement said.

    Source: GNA

  • LPG urges eligible Ghanaians to take part in voter registration exercise

    The Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) has entreated all eligible Ghanaians to register in the upcoming voters registration exercise slated to begin on Tuesday, June 30, 2020.

    This is to allow them to exercise their voting rights in the December 7 Elections.

    On Thursday, June 25, the Supreme Court ruled that the Electoral Commission (EC) could go ahead to compile a new voters roll in accordance with C.I 126.

    A statement signed by Mr John Amekah, the Chairman of the LPG, copied to the Ghana News Agency, on Friday, said it was the civic responsibility of every eligible Ghanaians to register and vote, in order to elect their own leaders to govern them.

    “We advise our party members, sympathizers and the public to abide by the COVID-19 safety protocols whilst the LPG Flagbearer is making frantic efforts to provide personal protective equipment to party members across the country,” it said.

    It urged all prospective registrants to adhere strictly to the rules and regulations governing the electoral process.

    There should be no cause for any party member to take the law into his or her own hand to engage in any destructive or violent behaviour, adding that, the police is mandated by law to deal ruthlessly with any act of lawlessness, it said.

    “We should all be law-abiding citizens in order to live in peace and harmony before, during and after the registration exercise and the elections,” said.

    The EC has announced that the compilation of a new voter register would take place in more than 33,000 registration centres nationwide.

    All eligible Ghanaians are required by law to present Ghana Card and Passport to allow them to register whilst those who do not have the aforementioned identity cards would need two eligible Ghanaians vouch for them.

    Source: GNA

  • LPG will be winners if elections were held today – LPG party organizer

    Organizer of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) in the Greater Accra Region, Mr Samuel Ayi Quaye, says the party is ready to take over the seat of government because it will win the 2020 presidential and parliamentary election.

    Appearing on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm he said the LPG is fully prepared.

    He opined if elections were held today, LPG will win because their grounds work has shown that Ghanaians are tired of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    The party he explained is currently collecting ideas and suggestions on all aspects of the economy to factor them in their party manifesto.

    Mr. Ayi Quaye indicated the LPG remains the only party will the solution to end the political duopoly of the two political; parties.

    Meanwhile, candidates in the Greater Accra region who have been disqualified in their parties to join the LPG and stand the chance of winning the seat for the party.

    The party is formidable, we are more than ready to win the 2020 polls, he added.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Government withdraws controversial 13p LPG levy

    The government has cancelled the Cylinder Recovery Margin (CRM) levy of 13.5 pesewas for each kilogramme of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) imposed by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).

    The Energy Minister, John Peter Amewu, disclosed that the levy had to be suspended due to some irregularities.

    “That slight increase in price that you saw in the papers, it has been withdrawn,” he said on Thursday, April 16.

    He explained that “there was a bit of an error” during the implementation and government would address the concerns.

    NPA imposed the levy which kicked into effect on April 1, 2020, but the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers and the Consumer Protection Agency sued the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) citing the failure to consult service providers before the introduction of the new petroleum pricing formula.

    The LPG Marketing Companies Association of Ghana (LPGMCs) also called for the cancellation of the levy.

    Mr Amewu stressed: “I can assure you that it has been withdrawn.”

    He said the government would review the bill and announce the new arrangements to the public afterwards.

    The CRM was to support stakeholders in the supply chain ahead of the implementation of the Cylinder Recirculation Model.

    The government introduced a National LPG Promotion Policy of which the Cylinder Re-circulation Model was a component.

    The policy was to improve marketing and distribution of LPG in a safe and efficient manner, so as to facilitate an increase in access to LPG nationwide.

    Source: theghanareport.com

  • COPEC, Consumer Protection Agency sue NPA over new levy on LPG

    The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers and the Consumer Protection Agency have sued the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) over the introduction of the Cylinder Recirculation Recovery Margin which will allow LPG operators to start charging 13.5 pesewas for each kilogram of LPG.

    The two companies in their writ of summons argue among others that the NPA failed to consult with various stakeholders before introducing the policy.

    “Plaintiffs state that the failure of the 1st defendant to consult with the service providers before the introduction of the new petroleum pricing formula has led to agitations among such service providers, particularly, the LPG Marketing Companies Association of Ghana (LPGMCs) who have issued a statement calling on the 1st defendant to withdraw the CRM.”

    The plaintiffs are thus seeking a declaration that the Cylinder Recirculation Recovery Margin be declared unlawful on grounds that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NPA, Hassan Tampuli failed to consult the NPA Board before introducing the policy.

    “A declaration that the failure of the 2nd Defendant [Hassan Tampuli] to secure the approval of the 1st Defendant  [NPA] board before announcing the new LPG cylinder recovery margin was unlawful,” portions of the writ said.

    Purpose of Cylinder Recirculation Model

    The NPA on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, directed industry players to begin 13.5 pesewas charge on each kilogram of LPG.

    It also instructed Oil Marketing Companies to increase the levy on Fuel Marking Margin from three pesewas to 4.5 pesewas per litre on every product.

    According to the NPA, the introduction of the Cylinder Recirculation Recovery Margin is to support stakeholders in the supply chain ahead of the implementation of the Cylinder Recirculation Model.

    Although the NPA has justified the move, some industry watchers have however said that both directives are unlawful and must be withdrawn with immediate effect given the impact it will have on the business.

    NPA in its release issued on Friday, April 4, 2020, maintained that such calls are unfortunate because its projection rather shows that for this very pricing window (1st April to 15 April, 2020), consumers are expected to enjoy a price reduction of about 11.56 percent even with the introduction of the Cylinder Recovery Margin.

    “The attention of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has been drawn to a statement issued by the LPG Marketing Companies Association of Ghana (LPGMCs) on the above subject, dated April 3, 2020, calling for the withdrawal of GHp 13.5 Cylinder Recovery Margin which took effect on April 1, 2020. We wish to state categorically that, contrary to their claim that the introduction of the margin will increase the product price at the pumps and thereby burden the consumer, the facts as they stand do not support that.”

    “The margin is, therefore, to assist the marketers to offset some of their financial expenses, in accordance with the full cost recovery principle of petroleum products pricing in Ghana. It is therefore unfortunate for the LPGMCs to hold such a position”, it added.

    The NPA had said it will continue to engage in this and other related issues of mutual concern over the concerns raised regarding tax components on LPG.

    “We are certainly aware of the difficult situation we all find ourselves in at this time, and the last thing we will do is to further burden the consumer with additional taxes. The NPA would, therefore, like to assure members of the general public of our commitment to ensure product availability, affordability, and accessibility, while ensuring the safety of the general public and the business viability of players across the value chain”, the statement concluded.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Scrap obnoxious, ‘nuisance’ increment of LPG Jinapor

    The Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu Constituency in the Northern Region, John Abdulai Jinapor has described the decision by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to implement a Cylinder Recirculation Margin of GHp13.5 per kilogram for LPG at time some parts of the nation are under lockdown due to the fear of spread of the coronavirus as “utter wickedness and the highest level of insensitivity to the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian.”

    Mr Jinapor has also alleged that the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has further increased the Fuel Marking Margin from GHp3/ltr to GHp4.5/ltr.

    “The imposition of the Cylinder Recirculation Margin coming at a time of Government’s declaration of a partial lockdown of Accra, Tema, Kumasi and parts of the Central Region will only exacerbate the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian,” Mr Jinapor said in a Facebook post.

    He said as a result of the lockdown and the enforcement of the social distancing directives by the President, “Ghanaians are already experiencing very difficult moments as they are unable to generate sufficient income to offset the rising cost of living.”

    In the light of the current happenings Mr Jinapor noted that “rather than burdening the citizenry with such insensitive and draconian policies, the Akuffo-Addo Government must rather demonstrate compassion by initiating policies and programmes that will alleviate the suffering of the ordinary Ghanaian.”

    The lawmaker has, therefore, called on the NPA, as a matter of urgency to “immediately scrap this obnoxious and nuisance increments at this difficult moment.”

     

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • New LPG Levy to help marketers improve safety

    The newly introduced levy or Cylinder Recovery Margin by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), is to support LPGMCs/OMCs ahead of the implementation of the cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM), the National Petroleum Authority has stated.

    The NPA in March this year launched the pilot phase of the policy in Kade in the Eastern region and Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

    The policy is intended to change the current mode of gas distribution into a more secured and safe manner.

    The policy is to ensure increase usage of LPG from the current 25% to 50% by 2030.

    As part of the CRM policy, the LPGMCs and OMCs will be responsible for the branding, safety and maintenance of the cylinders.

    Customers will no longer have to take an empty cylinder to be filled, they simply take their empty cylinder to an OMC/LPGMC and pick up a filled cylinder.

    There will be different cylinder sizes from 3kg to 14.5kg to ensure that consumers pay for what they can afford.

    Contrary to claims by some interest groups in the petroleum industry that the levy will burden the consumers, sources say the Cylinder Investment Margin of 13.5 pesewas is rather to support the marketers procure and maintain the cylinders.

    A source at the NPA says the regulator is determined to support the LPGMCs and Oil Marketing Companies, and has consistently engaged and consulted them on all aspects of the implementation of the energy policy.

    Source: daillyguidenetwork.com

  • EPA to license LPG Station Attendants

    Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Pump Attendants will soon be licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the broader procedures to inject professionalism into the sector to reduce accidents concomitant with gas usage.

    The EPA has, therefore, rolled-out initial processes towards the licensing regime which requires that every LPG Attendants must go through “Environmental Safety and Best Practices Training (ESBPT),” under the tutelage of the agency.

    Read: 67 LPG outlets in three regions explosion prone

    The ESBPT syllabus has been divided into phases for the next one year which involves theoretical classroom and practical field training leading to the award of the initial certificate of participation, after which the attendants would be monitored for adherence to best practices.

    The Attendants would again go through another theoretical classroom and practical field training at the end of which he or she would be licensed to operate as a Certified Professional LPG Pump Attendants.

    Mr John Alexis Pwamang, EPA Acting Executive Director explained that enrolling into the first phase, which is classified as the Transitional Period is voluntary, but after the period it would become mandatory for every attendant to acquire the Certified Professional LPG Pump Attendant license before employment.

    He, therefore, appealed to LPG Owners and Dealers as well as Pump Attendants to enroll in the on-going EPA Environmental Safety and Best Practices Training, which seeks to raise awareness about the hazards of LPG and the preventive mechanism available.

    Mr Pwamang noted that the training also targeted Owners, Dealers, and Station Supervisors to ensure that “we adhere to international best practices in our operations in the country”.

    He said EPA was collaborating with other technical partners such as the Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana LPG Operators Association (GLiPGOA), Department of Factories Inspectorate, National Petroleum Authority among others.

    Mr Pwamang explained that the certification emanated from the background that the series of gas explosions and gas-related fire outbreaks in the country, which had resulted in the loss of lives and property was attributed to lack of understanding and failure to observe simple safety protocols.

    He said investigations into these incidents and accidents revealed a number of causes, the most critical and common one being that most of the workers along the supply chain do not have the requisite knowledge and skills required to work.

    “It is as a result of these revelations that the regulatory institutions decided to organsise a training programme to Train and Certify all the operators to ensure that LPG risk is reduced to the minimal level in the country,” The EPA Executive Director stated.

    The EPA Acting Executive Director, therefore, called on the LPG Marketing Companies and other stakeholders to enroll their attendants to participate in the training; “Dealers and Owners must also participate in the training as it will help you protect your investment through the best-administered practices”.

    The current series are targeted at the pump attendants across the country. It will, therefore, be organised in all the 16 regions.

    Togbe Adaku V, President of GLiPGOA commended the EPA for the effort to support and introduce professionalism in the operations of LPG sector; “We consider this as efforts to help us investors, owners, dealers and attendants to protect our lives, customers, investors, and others who patronise our products”.

    He, therefore, appealed to LPG Operators to take advantage of the transitional period to train their attendants, “Get knowledge and understanding for dealing with LPG for knowledge is power, EPA is offering us the power to operate in a safe environment”.

    Read: Northern region LPG consumption is 2% NPA CEO

    Mr Andrew Owusu Baafi, LPG Safety Expert who was a resource person at the training explained that like all forms of energy, LP gas was potentially hazardous if mishandled or misused.

    He, therefore, advised owners and dealers to take advantage of the expertise within the LP gas industry to ensure an informed and uniform approach to good safety practice.

    Mr Baafi noted that controlling risks guarantee the health and safety of people and safeguards property and environment, “the danger is always present. Only the risk is reduced by behaviour.

    “LPG is potentially hazardous from production until it has been used. So every uncontrolled release is a hazardous activity and should receive urgent attention. Thus, even the smallest gas leak can be detected and should receive appropriate and immediate attention”.

    He said the hazards associated with LPG could occur during transportation, delivery or consumption of the gas and to manage the hazard attendants needed to understand everything.

     

    Source: ghananewsagency.org