After over three years of bickering by practitioners, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has inaugurated the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON).
Carrying out the function in Abuja, the minister appealed to all stakeholders and interest groups within the profession to recognise that ARCON is the only statutory body established to regulate the architectural profession in Nigeria, by virtue of the provision of the Architects Registration Act, 2004.
He called on them to abide by the resolutions of several meetings and withdraw all pending cases in courts to allow for sustainable peace and progress in the profession.
“Let us do this for the profession that has made us, let us do this for the future and careers of those coming behind us, let us do this for the country and the housing sector.
“Let us resolve not to sacrifice the profession on the altar of pecuniary interests even as we strive to ensure fairness and equity and balance,” he advised.
As the council members get ready to start work, he drew their attention to the fact that the ARCON Act 2004 being a statute created by the National Assembly, needs immediate and urgent review and update by way of amendment.
The Act, he said, needs a surgical review to align its mandate with the realities of today and beyond, pointing out that the ministry under his watch would encourage the council to urgently begin work on the amendment to remove all areas of ambiguities.
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