Tano South MP urges GCMC revival as catalyst for jobs and industrial growth

Charles Asiedu, Member of Parliament for Tano South and a member of Parliament’s Energy Committee, has called on the government to treat the revitalisation of the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited as an urgent job creation and industrial development priority, warning that continued neglect of the state-owned firm risks squandering both economic and environmental opportunity.

In a statement to the House, Mr. Asiedu argued that a restructured and reinvigorated Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company could serve as an engine of local employment, expand domestic manufacturing capacity and position Ghana as a regional leader in clean cooking solutions.

His remarks came against the backdrop of persistent operational difficulties at the company, which posted a loss of GH¢4 million in 2021 before being acquired by the Ghana Gas Company Limited in 2023 in an effort to arrest its decline. Mr. Asiedu acknowledged the acquisition as a step in the right direction but insisted it was not sufficient on its own. “A revitalised Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company will empower local industry, create jobs, expand LPG access and support Ghana’s climate goals,” the MP told the House, urging Parliament and the executive to act with the seriousness the matter deserves.

The company, whose core mandate is to produce and distribute safe, affordable liquefied petroleum gas cylinders, cookware and related accessories for domestic use and export, sits at the intersection of Ghana’s industrial and energy agendas. Mr. Asiedu argued that its recovery would generate employment across manufacturing, distribution and retail supply chains, particularly at a time when the country is seeking to deepen local content and reduce import dependency.

He proposed a multi-pronged revitalisation roadmap centred on targeted state capital injections to modernise production lines and introduce new fabrication technologies, as well as strategic joint ventures with private investors and LPG marketing companies to improve efficiency and expand market reach. He also called for government procurement policies that deliberately favour locally manufactured cylinders and accessories, a measure he said would provide the company with a stable and predictable revenue base while sustaining jobs.

On the regional front, Mr. Asiedu urged the government to leverage Ghana’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area to open neighbouring markets to the company’s products, which he said would significantly widen its commercial footprint and create further employment opportunities both within the factory and across export logistics chains.

He told the House that beyond the jobs directly tied to the company’s operations, accelerating LPG access through a strengthened local supply chain would generate livelihoods in distribution, retail and installation services nationwide. He noted that LPG currently serves as the primary cooking fuel for approximately 40percent of Ghanaians, and that the country has set an ambitious target to reach 50 per cent penetration by 2030, a goal that cannot be met without a resilient domestic production base.

The MP also pointed to the broader development case for action. Citing estimates from the Clean Cooking Alliance, he noted that universal access to clean cooking could reduce global carbon emissions by around 1.5 gigatons by 2030, and argued that Ghana had an opportunity to lead by example in West Africa. He welcomed the establishment of a Joint Project Implementation Committee by the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to oversee a revitalisation plan, but said further and more decisive measures were required, including stronger performance-based accountability mechanisms across all state-owned enterprises.

“These measures will not only revive an important industrial asset, they will create jobs, boost local manufacturing and help push Ghana towards its 2030 clean cooking goals,” he said, calling on Parliament, the executive and private stakeholders to treat the company’s recovery with the urgency it deserves.

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