FILTHY INDECO FACES CLOSURE

…NHA gets one-week ultimatum to clean up

TBy NATION REPORTER HE Lusaka City Council (LCC) has given National Housing Authority (NHA) a seven-day ultimatum to improve sanitary conditions in INDECO House on Cairo Road, Lusaka or have the building closed.

This follows an inspection carried out by council public health inspectors on June 20, 2018 which found that the building had failed to meet the public health standards.

LCC acting public relations manager George Sichimba confirmed the development in Lusaka. The inspection, according to Mr Sichimba, revealed that the building was very dirty including toilets, had blocked sanitary pipes and insufficient water supply and exposed tenants to risks of contracting diseases.

This scenario compelled LCC to issue an ultimatum to NHA to make improvements.

The action is in line with the Public Health Act Chapter 295, Section 67(b) and (m) together read with the Public Health Act (Drainage and Latrines) Regulations 58 and 84.

LCC has directed NHA to clean all toilets thoroughly in the building and maintain high standards of hygiene at all times.

NHA was also directed to ensure that all blocked sanitary pipes on all floors of the building were unblocked and repaired, Mr Sichimba said.

He said the council also wanted all toilets to be supplied with sufficient water at all times and for NHA to provide water storage containers to store water for use in times of erratic supply.

The local authority also appealed to other property owners to make sure that their properties complied with public health standards at all times.