LPG price hike in Wa could lead to increased cutting down of trees – consumers

Consumers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas in the Upper West Region have expressed worry over the escalation in the prices of the product of recent.

Speaking in an interview with Info Radio on Monday, consumers of the product say the increase in price came to them as surprise and could compel them to go back to the use of charcoal.

A consumer who was at a gas pump to purchase, Abdul Majeed Mbanaa says the increase would mount pressure on consumers and could lead to boomerang on government’s fight against tree-felling.

Another consumer, Paula Napen says the hike in the prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas would most definitely cause householders to resort to the use of charcoal for cooking and other purposes.

She adds that the increase in LPG price which is a substitute to charcoal would increase the demand for charcoal and in turn cause an increase in the rate of cutting down trees for charcoal.

The consumers call on the government to look into the pricing of the highly-consumed LPG to save the lives of the few cash trees left in the north of Ghana. They pleaded that the north has just few commercial trees and if LPG prices are not reduced, the trees would be exhausted.

Meanwhile, some gas retailers say there has not been any significant change in demand for LPG despite the changes in price.

However, they also appeal to the government to help reduce the price so that more Ghanaians can afford and to discourage charcoal burning.