Clean Cooking Push: Tano South MP Advocate Revival of Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company

Ghana’s transition to clean and safer household cooking energy could stall unless urgent steps are taken to revitalise the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited, a Member of Parliament for Tano South, Charles Asiedu has cautioned.
He called for a comprehensive national effort to revive the struggling state-owned enterprise, arguing that its recovery is central to expanding the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and reducing the country’s dependence on firewood and charcoal for cooking.
Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, March 12, 2026, Mr. Asiedu said promoting LPG remains a key component of Ghana’s environmental protection and climate action strategy, as the cleaner fuel significantly improves indoor air quality while reducing deforestation and carbon emissions.
He noted that LPG currently serves as the main cooking fuel for about 40 percent of Ghanaians, with the country targeting 50 percent penetration by 2030 as part of its broader energy transition agenda.
However, access remains particularly limited in rural communities where traditional fuels such as firewood and charcoal still dominate household cooking. LPG usage in rural Ghana, he said, accounts for only about 17 percent of total fuel consumption, highlighting the urgent need to expand access to affordable cylinders and related infrastructure.
According to the MP, the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company is strategically positioned to lead that expansion by producing safe and affordable LPG cylinders locally, while supporting the nationwide cylinder recirculation policy.
“The revitalisation of the company is not only about rescuing a struggling state enterprise,” he told Parliament. “It is about strengthening Ghana’s clean energy transition, protecting our forests and improving public health.”
The company, which was established to manufacture and distribute LPG cylinders and related accessories for both domestic use and export, has faced significant operational and financial challenges in recent years.
To prevent its collapse, the company was taken over in 2023 by the state-owned Ghana Gas Company Limited in an effort to restore stability and reposition it within the country’s energy value chain.
While acknowledging the takeover as a step in the right direction, Mr. Asiedu said more decisive action is needed to restore the company’s production capacity and make it competitive.
He proposed targeted government investment to modernise production lines, introduce advanced fabrication technologies and improve quality control systems at the facility.
The MP also called for strategic partnerships with private investors and LPG marketing companies to strengthen efficiency, expand distribution networks and drive innovation in the sector.
Beyond domestic reforms, he urged policymakers to position the company to benefit from regional trade opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area by exporting cylinders and related products to neighbouring West African markets.
Mr. Asiedu further recommended that government agencies and public institutions prioritise the procurement of LPG cylinders and accessories from the company as a deliberate policy to support its recovery.
He stressed that public awareness campaigns must also be intensified to educate households on the health, economic and environmental benefits of switching to LPG for cooking.
Globally, access to clean cooking fuels is expanding, yet billions of people still rely on polluting fuels that contribute to environmental degradation and respiratory illnesses.
Mr. Asiedu said Ghana has a strong opportunity to position itself as a leader in the clean cooking transition in West Africa if it moves swiftly to revitalise the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company and strengthen the LPG value chain.
“A revitalised Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company will empower local industry, create jobs, expand LPG access and support Ghana’s climate goals,” he said, urging Parliament to treat the matter with urgency.