Players in the Liquefied Gas Petroleum (LGP) Industry have asked the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) to carry out a rigorous awareness if Malawians are to embrace gas a clean source of energy.

The call has been sounded in Lilongwe during a sanitisation between the energy regulator and gas retailers from the Central Region.

In her response, Mera’s Consumer Affairs and Public Relations Manager Fitina Khonje said the Authority is currently sanitising the masses to play a critical role of retailing, wholesaling and importing in order to create more supply.

“The quantities of gas that we have at the moment are indirect proportion to the demand that is there, as demand grows the gas will also be available because what we are doing now we are sensitising people to become retailers, importers wholesalers and all other businesses opportunities that are there,” she said.

“So when we have more players in the sector gas is also going to be available but you know every business is also driven by the customers.”

Khonje, however, dismissed fears that gas is a dangerous source of energy that can possibly cause injury.

“First of all let us be factual, every form of energy is safe but can also be dangerous as it can be so be it gas, electricity, charcoal or firewood they can also cause accidents if cannot use them properly and safely.

“There is a lot that people say about gas, interestingly it’s actually said by those who are not using gas or those who have heard from somebody who said and they are not even aware of where the accident happened,” said Khonje.

Meanwhile, one of the participants, a Lilongwe-based entrepreneur Lennox Chinangwa said the sensitisation meeting has enlightened him on how he can venture into the gas retailing industry.

He said: “This training actually has provided an insight especially to people who are interested to go into the gas business, for example I have been eyeing for the gas business like since 2019 but I couldn’t the whole of someone can get into the business.”

“So this training so far has provided a very vivid picture of how someone can get into the business and as well with the scarcity of trees as well as the ban of charcoal use, I think it has brought a panic to the public,” said Chinangwa.

Mera started the sensitisation meetings in the southern region [Blantyre], then northern region [Mzuzu] then winding up with Lilongwe in the central region.