COVID-19: Abuja estates take precautionary measures
HND graduates have no requisite qualification to be licensed Architects -ARCON president
The outbreak of coronavirus has made some estates managers in Lokogoma adopt some precautionary measures like screening residents before they are allowed inside the premises.
Our reporter observed that security guards have intensified the screening and people without a clear mission are denied entrance.
With the lockdown, motorists that are not residents of the estates and could not state their assignments were turned back. At the Bentell Gardens Estate, Lokogoma, one of the guards, who gave his name simply as Sunday, said only people that reside in the estate are allowed in.
He said though this has been the method in the estate before the outbreak of coronavirus, it has been intensified lately to keep the residents safer.
One of the security guards at MINFA 1 Estate, Lokogoma, said before anybody be admitted into the estate, the person would be made to wash his hands and apply sanitizer.
Another security guard at MINFA 1 Garden Estate, Oluwole Ijaola, said pedestrians must wash their hands with soap under running water and apply sanitizer before they are allowed inside.
He said soap, water and sanitizer were positioned at the entrance to the estate.
Ijaola said at the beginning of the outbreak, people were hesitant in complying but now, on seeing the water and sanitizer, they move there to wash their hands without being told.
He could not say if there was a thermometer to check the body temperature but said motorists are screened properly, adding that admitting people into the estate is a privilege because it is a private property.
The president, Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Oladipupo Gabriel Ajayi, has said holders of Higher National Diploma ( HND) in Architecture were excluded from registration by ARCON because people believe they do not have sufficient educational qualifications to be licensed as architects in Nigeria.
Ajayi made the clarification when he spoke at an interview session with select journalists on the occasion of his 66th birthday in Lagos
He said: “In Nigeria today, we have two ways – technical line and executive. Abroad, when you go
Ijaola said the guards also keep safe distance from visitors.
At the First Generation Estate, also, our reporter observed that there is provision of soap, water, and sanitizer at the gate for pedestrians use before going into the estate.
A security guard at the estate who gave his name as Bright, said they ensure that those coming inside the estate wash their hands thoroughly.
A resident of the estate, Uche David, said he washed his hands when leaving the estate and that it helps. He said almost everywhere and everybody now has soap and water to wash their hands, “It is good because there cannot be too much of it,” he added.
He said further, “When Ebola came; sanitizer was introduced but all the personal hygiene disappeared when the epidemic finished. The estate managers have done well with the water and soap and then sanitizers. People are using it and I think it is to the university, that is executive line, when you go to technical school, that is technical line.
“Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we believe you can cross without paying the price. How do you become an engineer or a medical doctor without fulfilling the requirements? We have problem of nomenclature in Nigeria. People don’t want to accept what they have, whereas in China, Canada, where I have visited, the middleman power shakes the economy. For Nigeria to develop, we need the middleman power more than the executive.”
“By the law establishing us, we are not competent to induct and license HND graduates as architects. ARCON is not a degreeawarding a good development. How I wish it remains like that even at the end of this pandemic.”
At EFAB Estate, however, there was no provision for water, soap and sanitizer. A resident of the estate, Kikelomo Michael, said though the estate managers did not make provision for water and soap at the entrance, individuals have them at the gates and entrances of their homes.
“A house on my street has hand sanitizer outside, so I believe the man expects all his visitors to use it before entering his home because he was not outside. There are people that put soaps in their compound by the tap, so that as you step inside the compound, the next thing you will do is wash your hands,” she said.
She said the outbreak had opened up several forgotten things like personal and environmental hygiene. school, we are a regulator of the profession. For the HND graduates, they need to return to school, upgrade themselves to the executive line.”
He said ARCON has held a lot of meetings with HND graduates through their associations and have been able to convince some of them, hence, they withdrew their cases from the court.
“With this development, agitation hitherto coming from that end has subsided greatly. Today, I am sure that, those with HND know the route to go. It is either you had done Finals 1, Finals 2, then enlist for Architects Regularisation Programme (ARP) and after, enlist for Architects Competency Programme (ACP) or with your HND, you go to the university to get your B.Sc in architecture and then, you enlist for your Master’s degree.” He added.
Ajayi, however, noted that all HND graduates are recognized but as technicians. He added that ARCON inducts those who wish to stay on that level as technicians.
He said: “It is unfortunate that, many don’t want to be recognised as draftsmen. That is the word. I was a draftsman, but I upgraded myself by going to the university to spend eight years and two years for pupilage before I became a registered architect. By and large, this issue is being resolved as some of them, have already registered to do the April programme and I wish them well.”