The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) plans to launch the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) program in September. Perry Okudzeto, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, stated that the CRM will allow residents of Accra and selected areas to use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) without owning a cylinder. Filled LPG cylinders will be available at exchange points, and customers can pay for the content and pick up cylinders after registering with their National Identity Card.
The NPA and its partners, supervised by the Ministry of Energy, will lead the CRM implementation. Initially introduced in Accra and Kumasi, the program will gradually expand nationwide. The CRM will operate alongside the current distribution model until it is phased out, and a 50-member committee, which includes representation from LPG Marketing Companies, is overseeing the process.
The CRM aims to ensure that 50% of Ghanaians have access to safe, clean, and eco-friendly LPG by 2030. It also seeks to enhance safety, accessibility, and adoption of LPG, thereby reducing accidents and losses. The policy involves sending cylinders from manufacturing companies to bottling plants for filling and then transporting them to exchange points for consumers to register and pay for their preferred quantities.
Specialized trucks will transport the filled cylinders to retail stations or exchange points for consumers to exchange their empty cylinders. Registration with the Ghana card at the exchange points is necessary for consumer data traceability. The CRM has been piloted successfully, and the necessary infrastructure, including CRM Bottling facilities and cylinder manufacturing companies, is in place for the rollout.