The Chairman of Parliament’s Energy Committee, Hon Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, has commended the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company (GCMC) for its efforts to revitalize operations and improve performance. Speaking during a working visit, Hon. Bedzrah highlighted ongoing measures to retool the company and restore it to full productivity.
According to him, GCMC has already begun making strides, including securing a contract to export products to the West African market. He added that the company currently holds an estimated 30 percent share of the market.
Mr. Bedzrah further indicated that the Committee will submit recommendations to the Ministry of Finance to fast-track approval processes related to the funding support. Ranking Member of the Committee, Hon. George Aboagye, stressed the need for increased investment in the sector, stating that expanding companies like GCMC is critical to achieving Ghana’s long-term energy security goals.
The fundamental role of GCMC is to promote the wider adoption of LPG as a cleaner, safer substitute for charcoal and firewood, thereby addressing critical environmental challenges like deforestation and desertification.
The Energy Committee of Parliament also voiced strong apprehension regarding the prolonged failure of the Ministry of Finance to issue essential financial clearance to the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company (GCMC).
This regulatory bottleneck, which has persisted since the beginning of the year, prevents the state-owned entity from securing the necessary authorization to procure critical materials required for its production and operational activities.
“I want to use this medium to appeal to the Minister for Finance to release their commitment authorisation for them to work because this is a self-income-generating institution. If we reached them and gave them that certificate commitment, they would have bought their materials and gone ahead with what they needed to do.” Committee Chairman and MP for Ho West, Hon. Emmanuel Bedzrah stated
The Committee has signaled that this inaction is not merely an administrative oversight but a disruption to national energy commitments and the broader supply chain of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders across the country.
Operational Paralysis and Market Impact
Without the financial clearance, the company is unable to restock the raw materials essential for manufacturing and refurbishing cylinders.
Industry analysts note that such delays often lead to a “devastating knock-on effect,” where an inability to fulfill current orders results in lost market share and eroded customer trust.
For a company designed to be self-sustaining, this enforced inactivity creates a paradox: a state entity with the technical capacity to generate its own funds is being prevented from doing so by the very government oversight meant to facilitate its operations.
Parliamentary Oversight and Legislative Urgency
Hon. Emmanuel Bedzrah, the Committee Chairman, has emphasized that the legislative body is treating this matter with extreme urgency.
The Energy Committee is tasked with the oversight of energy-sector agencies, ensuring that they operate efficiently and adhere to their statutory mandates.
The Committee has therefore declared its intention to escalate the issue from verbal appeals to formal, written communication addressed to the Ministry of Finance.
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