LPG price increase to worsen Ghana’s depleting forest

Environmental campaigners are worried Ghanaians may be compelled to revert to the use of charcoal and firewood for energy with the increase in the price of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG).

This, they say will harm efforts at protecting the country’s already depleted forest cover.

Subsidies on the price of LPG were placed as a measure to get majority of the population to shift from wood fuels to LPG with the intent of conserving the forests to help mitigate global warming.

It is not clear how much of an impact the subsidy has helped in discouraging felling of trees for fuel wood.

But Environmentalist, Lovans Owusu-Takyi says there are clear indications the increase in LPG prices would lead to an increase in deforestation.

“About 85 percent of the population depends on fuel wood for energy source and with the increase in fuel prices definitely people are going to go back to the use of charcoal and fuel wood”, he observed.

The price of LPG has gone up by 50 per cent, selling at 194.85 per litre or GHC24.36 per a 12.5 kg cylinder.

Mr. Owusu-Takyi stated that Ghana is already importing timber from Cameroon and the “risk to our forest is high now, hence the need for urgent attention to be given and that the fuel price increase should be looked at again”.

Whilst urging the government to explore ways to subsidize LPG to benefit urban households, Mr. Owusu-Takyi noted access to an improved and efficient cook stove would be beneficial in reducing charcoal and firewood in both rural and urban communities.

“Improved cook stove is very good to save and reduce carbon emission, provide clean energy and improve the health of the people”, he said.

Already, producers of clean cook stoves are anticipating an increase in sales of products with the increase in prices of LPG.

About 69 percent of urban households in Ghana use charcoal for cooking and heating.