Ghana LPG Cylinder Recirculation Model: The Opportunities and Challenges

The pursuit for cheap, productive and environmentally friendly energy resources has advanced over the years. This has resulted in an increment in the demands and needs for energy which testifies to the direct impact energy has on the economic growth of a country. In 1990, the Government of Ghana established the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Promotion Program to encourage the citizens to switch from wood fuel to LPG as an initiative to deal with the domestic cooking energy crises. The program received good feedbacks from the citizens; however, due to the numerous issues it posed, the program was ceased. In spite of the failure of the LPG Promotion Program, there was a massive progress in LPG usage in urban areas. This led to the Rural LPG Promotion Program (RLP), an initiative launched by the government in 2013, to improve access in the rural areas. There has been improvement in the RLP; however, fuel cost and an inadequate implementation structure hinder the program’s success. In view of the above, this paper seeks to identify and examine the opportunities and the challenges the LPG Cylinder Recirculation model, a program yet to be launched, brings to the promotion of LPG in the nation. Some opportunities identified include; reduction in the health and environmental problems associated with LPG service stations operations, less cost on citizens to repair damage or leakage in cylinders, reduction in explosions at LPG service stations and job creation. However, some challenges identified include; lack of enough cylinders for the program and negative effect on the businesses ofthe LPG marketing companies and LPG tanker drivers. It is therefore recommended that for the LPG Cylinder Recirculation Model to achieve its objective, the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company (GCMC) should be renovated for production to increase the quantity of cylinders and even repair damaged ones and talks should be held between government and the LPG marketing companies on how best the LPG marketing companies can be involved in the policy. Much work will be required to make this upcoming program productive and sustainable