Kamuli Municipal schools receive iron sheets to replace asbestos roofing

The Office of the Prime Minister has made up its pledge to schools and institutions to be asbestos free and handed over 900 pre coated iron sheets worth shs65 million to six Primary Schools.

The schools included Butabala, Kiwolera Army, Busota, Kamuli Girls, Lubaga Boys and Kamuli Boys in Kamuli Municipality.

Handing over the iron sheets at kamuli Municipal offices, the Kamuli Deputy RDC Adonia Mafumo urged institutions to be the ears, eyes and mouthpieces of government not grumbling of lip services at the sidelines.

“This government support and response to children health safety amidst risks posed by asbestos is spot on only coming after media reports and you were keeping quiet. We also as government continue to do a lot of things but you the beneficiaries keep silent making us look like insensitive to public needs and doing nothing so be our eyes to see wrong, ears to hear and listen to public concerns and mouth to speak out about our achievements,” the RDC challenged.

Tasking Municipal and district officials to identify and list all institutions with asbestos roofs, the Deputy RDC warned the recipients against misuse of the iron sheets but put them into proper use and benefit of the learners safety “and remember iron sheets make noise and these are pre painted yellow hence unique”

Stanslus Mangasa Kamuli Municipal Town Clerk said they raised the issue of health risks posed by asbestos in institutions last year and it is timely that the government through OPM has responded though there are still more.

“We started by reprioritizing Primary Schools under UPE children and the next target is other Public institutions, incomplete structures and staff housing,” Mangasa reported.

Mangasa also advised schools to involve other stakeholders, school management and PTAs to mobilize funds for roofing like nails, timber and labor which should be a one off and realistic to the parents.

“We appreciate your dilemma on how to raise the roofing materials and labor amidst fear of sending learners home for the money but go and mobilize SMC/PTA and parents meeting and agree on a one off amount with proper documentation and later account to them because government offered only ironsheets,” he told the headteachers.

Betty Namulondo the headteacher Butabala Primary School on behalf of the 6 schools said the situation on ground is regrettably risky with the old asbestos not only leaking but killing softly and slowly “and we are grateful government has at last responded though the task now is getting the other roofing resources.”