Rwanda National Police

The Rwanda National Police (RNP) and Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) held a consultative meeting on November 26 on how to harmonise the removal of asbestos roofing on public and private buildings.

About 53 police officers, who include those attached to the RNP Engineering Regiment, district and regional judicial police officers, attended the meeting.

The two institutions signed an agreement in 2011, partly to partner in the implementation of the removal and disposing off the cancerous asbestos roofing.

Subsequently, 50 police officers were trained in the removal and disposal off of the asbestos in the same year.

At least 44 percent of asbestos has been removed since 2011.

Speaking during the meeting, Eric Serubibi, the head of Housing Projects and Development Department at Rwanda Housing Authority commended the active role of RNP in the removal of the deadly roofing materials.

“So far, 44 percent of asbestos in the country have been removed, so today’s meeting was to look on how the remaining asbestos can be removed by the end of 2016 deadline,” Serubibi said.

“Asbestos is a dangerous health issue; it causes a number of sicknesses including lung cancer. No consequences identified yet but by removing them, we are implementing preventive measures,” he added.

The World Health Organisation says more than 107,000 people die globally each year from asbestos-related diseases due to occupational exposure.

In Rwanda, it is estimated that there were a total of 1, 308, 259 square metres of asbestos roofing by the year 2011.

According to Asbestos Eradication Project progress report, Southern Province has 1,251 housing units roofed with asbestos followed by the City of Kigali with 931 while the Northern has the least.

One of the participants, Supt. Modeste Mbabazi said that RNP also facilitates the removal of asbestos through public sensitization and awareness.