Queenmothers have urged the government to lower the growing cost of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) so that advances in its use in the country are not reversed.
They said that the government's afforestation program would be harmed if the price of the commodity continued to rise, since people would be tempted to cut down trees for wood fuel.
According to women traditional leaders, the scenario made it difficult to persuade people to switch to LPG since its price continued to rise.
The queenmothers made the request at a stakeholders' conference for paramount queenmothers in Kumasi last Monday, which was organized by the National Energy Transition Committee of the Ministry of Energy.
The purpose of the conference was to get the queenmothers' opinions on the country's energy policy in terms of lowering carbon dioxide emissions, since each represented their separate areas.
Prices
A 6kg gas cylinder costs between GH60 and GH80 at the moment, whereas a 14kg cylinder costs between GH170 and GH200.
As a result, some customers have been forced to buy gas in smaller quantities rather than filling their cylinders.
The queenmothers also urged the government to abolish all LPG taxes and, if necessary, subsidize the price to encourage more people to use the product.
Nana Adwoa Otubea II, Queenmother of the Nkonya Traditional Area, said it would be irresponsible to encourage women to quit using wood fire if an alternative was not available.
The Queenmother of the Gwolu Traditional Region, Halakuoro Dr Hajaratu Limann I, expressed her worry, saying that while many women in her area burn charcoal, some are unable to purchase charcoal and coal pots, and asked how such people could choose for LPG.
Food cooked using charcoal was tastier than food prepared with gas, according to the Mamponghemaa, Nana Agyakoma Difie II, but he acknowledged the need to conserve the environment by using cleaner forms of fuel.
Emission reduction
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the sector Minister, stated that countries all over the globe were taking serious efforts to decrease the production of harmful gases that led to the ozone layer's deterioration.
He said that, although playing a critical part in the country's socio-economic growth, the transport industry in Ghana has been shown to be a large contributor to carbon dioxide emissions.
The meeting's purpose, according to the minister, was to solicit opinion from women traditional leaders, who represented the country's largest population.
He said that it was also to provide the country's road plan toward a net-zero future, in which mitigation measures will counter Ghana's emission concerns.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh went on to say that the issue was how to transition from fossil fuel to renewable energy, and that it would need a concerted and intentional effort on the part of everyone.