Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, Monday, called on the management committee set up by Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to reconcile warring factions, and embrace dialogue to resolve issues leading to the stagnation of the inauguration of a proper committee.
To this end, he called for peace and out of court settlement of all issues, and warned against usurping the powers of its regulatory body.
Recall that the Management Committee of ARCON is a transition committee created by law to undertake ARCON’s routine management upon expiration of tenure of its statutory council and pending constitution of a new board.
Fashola, in a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr Bashir Alkali, said amicable reconciliation through dialogue was important in “resolving issues leading to the stagnation of the profession rather than engage in needless litigation that created the current impasse’’.
He said: “Intensify efforts to reconcile the warring factions to embrace dialogue in resolving issues leading to the stagnation of the Profession rather than engage in needless litigation that created the current impasse.
“And ensure that the issues that led to the litigation that created the current impasse are speedily and amicably resolved in the best interest of the Architecture profession and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’’ the statement said
The minister said the ministry’s attention was drawn to a newspaper publication in which the management committee was planning major programmes and an evaluation assessment for architects without contacting ARCON, its regulatory body.
He said the inauguration of a proper committee had been stalled as a result of litigation instituted by members of the Architecture Profession hence, the deadlock which must be urgently resolved for progress.
Fashola noted that the management committee was acting beyond its powers by not collaborating with its regulatory body to form quorum in taking major decisions as spelt out by the laws establishing it.
In the face of this self-induced stalemate, the Management Committee is purporting to exercise powers which only a full committee is permitted by law to exercise.
Such conducts are clearly not only in violation of their enabling statute but could also attract criminal sanctions.
These activities include: a plan to organise the 2022 Colloquium for architects in Nigeria from Monday 23rd –Thursday 26th May, 2022 and a plan to undertake Architects Professional Competency Evaluation (APCE) Exercise. These are core functions of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria and not that of the Management Committee,’’ he said.
Quoting relevant laws setting up the professional body, the minister observed that the management committee did not follow due process.
“A compound reading of the provisions of Section 4 (on the Quorum of the Council), Clause 1(5) of the First Schedule to the Act and Section 27 of the Interpretation Act clearly indicates that, the President, Vice-President and Treasurer of ARCON do not constitute a quorum for the purpose of carrying out the core functions of the Council,’’ he said.
The minister advised the Architects to be properly guided by its own regulations while shedding light on various aspects so that they do not contravene the law and cause breach of public peace.
“Consequently, in exercise of the supervisory powers of the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing pursuant to the provision of sections 3 and 4 (1) of the Act, as well as Clause 2(2) of the First schedule to the Act, I have been directed by the Honourable Minister to convey the following to the Management Committee of ARCON that the Committee should:
“Refrain forthwith from all activities which constitute statutory functions of the Council as enumerated in Section 2 (1) (a- c) of the Act until a new properly constituted Council is in place; Only oversee the routine administrative management of the Council until a new properly constituted Council is in place; Retract recent statement in the advert by the Committee on the Architects Professional Competency Evaluation (APCE)’’, he said.
