Abuja — The Association of Professional Plumbers (PPA), an incorporated body of master plumbers, has started moves to rid the market of fake plumbing products.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP SUNDAY yesterday, the chairman of the association, Comrade Amos Abeni, said the association was partnering with the marketers of plumbing materials.

He said that a line of communication had already been opened with the major marketers at Dei-Dei, Mararaba, Gudu and Zone 5 building materials markets.

He said: "Fake products give plumbers a lot of headache during installations. They also lead to poor quality jobs and are not durable, and can leak easily. Leakages in buildings can lead to building collapse. To this end, our association is looking up to the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to flush out fake products from the market.

"Another related issue that calls for serious concern is untrained persons who call themselves plumbers. These quacks are cheap to hire and at the end of the day, their employers pay double for it."

He warned builders, developers and architects to contact the PPA for qualified plumbers.

He said plans were in place to open centres in and around Abuja where plumbers could have access to regular training, retraining as well as apprenticeship training programmes.