Stakeholders are calling for stricter consumer protection measures in Ghana’s Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) sector, following a nationwide safety campaign led by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
During an engagement with students of Dr Hilla Liman Technical University and Nusrat Jahan Ahmadiyya College of Education in the Upper West Region, experts stressed the urgent need for safer handling, transportation, and distribution of LPG.
Mrs. Eunice Budu-Nyarko, Head of Consumer Services at NPA, urged the public to transport LPG cylinders only in a secure, upright position, warning that negligence could lead to leaks, explosions, and catastrophic fire outbreaks.
“Safety is not optional; it is a necessity,” she said, adding that damage to valves through improper handling remained a leading cause of household gas accidents.
Beyond consumer practices, calls are also growing for policy-level reforms. Professor Hamidatu Saaka Darimani, Vice-Chancellor of Dr Hilla Liman Technical University, suggested Ghana could learn from Burkina Faso’s regulated cylinder distribution model, where cylinders are sold exclusively through licensed outlets.
“This would limit the risks posed by repainted and substandard cylinders currently in circulation,” Prof. Darimani said.
Mr. Abraham Dauda, NPA’s Upper West Regional Supervisor, also reminded students to avoid using mobile phones when cooking and to pay closer attention at fuel stations by checking colour-coded nozzles—red for petrol, black for diesel, and green for high-octane.
While commending the NPA’s outreach efforts, participants emphasised that awareness must go hand-in-hand with enforcement to reduce accidents and protect lives.
For many students present, the campaign was not just an educational exercise but a wake-up call about the hidden risks of everyday energy use.
