After Canadian researchers “ExperiCo International” revealed that fibrocement tiles cause cancer to the people, Rutsiro District administration is set to train residents to remove fibro cement tiles before the end of 2013.

This was decided during the meeting that gathered owners of fibro cement roofed residential houses, churches, hospitals and public institutions.

As a way of easily solving the problem, participants decided to train some residents in Gatsibo who can remove fibro cement tiles without hiring expensive companies to do the work.

Fulgence Hakizimana, in charge of infrastructures in Rutsiro district explains that companies which remove fibro cement from houses charge Rwf4000 per square metre plus transport costs to dumb them in Gitarama in Muhanga district.

Training residents to remove fibro cement will cost less meaning a square metre will be unroofed for close to Rwf2000, he adds.

In this plan, many people will be trained and given materials in addition to finding the dumping place in a nearer place like Karongi to reduce on the transport costs.

The participants requested Rwanda Housing Authority to support them in providing equipments, training and dumping places.

However, workers from Rwanda Housing Authority asked Rutsiro district administration and residents with fibrocement roofed houses to embrace the idea and take part in removing fibrocement roofs instead of waiting for help.

While training is supposed to take place before the end of April 2013, every institution that is roofed with fibrocement tiles will send a representative in the training.

Destroying fibrocement tiles was announced in June 2012 in all districts of Rwanda.