Parliament — LAWMAKERS have demanded that government replaces all asbestos roofs of educational institutions countrywide so as to stem possible contraction of cancer by pupils and students.

Oyam North MP Okullo Epak sparked the debate on Thursday. The UN banned use of asbestos in the 1980s after it was discovered that its residual fibres could cause lung cancer.

"We are very concerned about this matter although we do not have statistics on who has been affected," said line Minister Gabriel Opio.

He said that during the next financial year, government would start re-roofing the said schools but that the exercise would be done in phases over years.