Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Petroleum on Friday launched the Rural Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Promotion Programme at Savelugu in the Northern Region to distribute cylinders and cook stoves to low access rural areas in the region.
Following the launch, the Ministry of Petroleum began distributing 6,000 pieces of cylinders and cook stoves to members of various communities in the Savelugu Municipality, Gushegu and Saboba Districts, as part of government�s efforts to reduce deforestation and provide a cleaner, healthier and safer form of cooking fuel for rural dwellers.
The Minister said the distribution of the facility was to enable rural dwellers to switch easily from wood fuels to LPG without paying for the initial investment costs.
Mr Kofi Buah said it was also to address the challenges associated with the use of solid fuel such as deforestation, respiratory diseases acquired from the use of firewood and saving mothers and children from drudgery and the dangers of fetching firewood.
He said �Furthermore, the government seeks to create demand in these low access areas to provide incentives for private LPG marketing companies to set up their facilities there.�
He added that, �All these efforts are towards creating wealth and employment opportunities for Ghanaians to ensure that domestic LPG produced at our Gas Processing plant at Atuabo benefits all Ghanaians.�
Mr Kofi Buah said the Ministry of Petroleum would also partner with LPG marketing companies and local dealers to facilitate the setting up of mini-refill plants in low access areas to ensure constant supply and safety of refilled LPG cylinders.
He urged local dealers and businessmen to take advantage of business opportunities provided and expand the LPG business to all areas in the districts by setting up mini-refill outlets in very remote rural area.
He urged beneficiaries not to revert to the use of firewood and charcoal, as well as entreating them to observe the basic safety precautions to prevent disasters.
Hajia Mary Salifu Boforo, Member of Parliament for Savelugu, whose speech was read on her behalf, expressed gratitude to the government, saying that, the facility would bring a lot of relief to women and also cut down on the incidence of respiratory diseases associated with burning of charcoal.
Hajia Boforo commended the government for extending electricity to most parts of the Savelugu Constituency.
Mr Alhassan Abdulai Red, Savelugu Municipal Chief Executive entreated the beneficiaries to take good care of the facility to ensure safety.
The government launched the Rural LPG Promotion programme about a year ago and three regions, including Central, Brong Ahafo and Western have already benefited from it, with 50,000 rural dwellers targeted to benefit from the initiative this year.
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