FG Directs ARCON Management Committee to Refrain from Statutory Functions

An interim committee set up by the federal government to manage the affairs of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) have been told to refrain from performing statutory functions. The government’s directive is contained in a statement issued yesterday and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Bashir Nura Alkali, for the Minister, Babatunde Fashola.

The Permanent Secretary said he issued the statement as directed by the 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.”

According to the statement, 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); 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.

Giving reasons for its action, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing its attention was drawn “to the activities of the Management Committee of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), a transition committee created by law to undertake routine management of the ARCON upon expiration of tenure of its statutory council and pending the constitution of a new council.”

The minister said, “In spite of presidential approval for the inauguration of a new council, it has not been possible to inaugurate the council as a result of litigation instituted by members of the Architecture Profession seeking to stop the inauguration.

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.

“In order to forestall any breach of law and guide the Management Committee of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, the stakeholders, and members of public appropriately, it is pertinent to make the following clarifications in line with the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria Act (Cap A19

Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004).