The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Marketers Association of Ghana has expressed worry people may return to the use of charcoal due to the surge in prices of gas.

The Institute for Energy Security (IES) has predicted a 5% increase in LPG for the next two weeks.

However, Vice President, of the LPG Marketers Association, Gabriel Kumi on Adom FM Dwaso Nsem stated the increment could be more than 5% and clock 8%.

Mr Kumi predicted the price may further increase even after the 8% and will likely reduce the demand for LPG and people will substitute it for charcoal.

He said the current price per kilogram is about GH₵14.5 and if it increases by 8%, there will be about GH₵1.20 addition, bringing the price to between GH₵15.70 to GH₵16.

With this, Mr Kumi explained consumers will pay about GH₵240 for a 14.5-kilogram cylinder which will be too much.

“The experts are saying 5% but speaking to the BDCs and other information we have picked, it will further go up,” he said.

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According to him, while the previous cost for 1kg of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stood at 14 cedis, it has recently risen to 16 cedis due to a new government-imposed tax on gas.

In an interview on Adom FM’s Burning Issues, Mr. Kumi highlighted that many countries purchase a kilogram of gas for less than one dollar, which is lower than Ghana’s rate of $1.20. 

“I am telling you that LPG price in Ghana is one of the highest prices in the world. Most of the countries buy theirs around 40, 50 to 80 cents but ours is 1 dollar, 20 cents. The price earlier was 14 cedis but it’s 16 cedis as we speak because of the 80 dollars tax on every Metric Ton imposed on the LPG by the government,” he emphasized. 

Mr. Kumi further warned that, the rising cost of LPG is driving Ghanaians towards using charcoal consumption instead. 

He cautioned that, if this trend continues, it could render the government’s “green Ghana” initiative ineffective, as trees planted for afforestation would be felled for charcoal production. 

“The government’s vision to restore afforestation would be useless if demand for charcoal hikes because it’s the same trees planted would be felled to burn charcoal, and if that happens, the government’s investment in the “green Ghana” would go to waste,” the Vice President of the LPG Marketers Association of Ghana said. 

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