Again, NIA Berates ARCON Over Architects’ Competence Exam

The Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos State Chapter has again maintained a position reached by its national body that the institute will not allow the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) to usurp its powers by conducting Architects Competence Exams for new members and attempting to carry out other activities that statutorily fall within the purview of the NIA functions as backed by the federal laws of Nigeria.

At a recent general meeting in Lagos, the feud between NIA and ARCON took a different turn as NIA members frowned at all attempts alleged to have been taken by ARCON to undermine the roles and functions of the NIA.

The Chairman, Student Affairs Committee of the NIA, Arc. David Majekodunmi, while lampooning ARCON and its abettors inside NIA averred that it was wrong for ARCON to have directed applicants to apply for one ACP exam, let one collecting money from applicants to register for the said exam.

“We want ARCON and its co-conspirators in NIA to explain to us the rationale behind the exam conducted by ARCON and the reason why money was collected from applicants,” he averred.

Recall, The New Diplomat in an exclusive report on the ensuing NIA, ARCON rift reported how the NIA in a rejoinder issued on June 8, 2017 kicked at ARCON’s disregard of the Architects Registration Act CAP A19 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, which stipulates the roles to be played by both the Institute and the Council (ARCON) on matters pertaining to registration of Architects.

According to Section 7 (Registration of Architects), Sub-section 5c of the Law, a person shall be registered if he satisfies the Council (ARCON) “that he (applicant) has passed the Professional Practice Competence Examination conducted by the Institute (NIA).”

In the rejoinder, the Institute condemned ARCON’s directive saying, “the contents of the advert are mischievous, misleading and a contravention of the provisions of the above cited condition in the Law.”

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Also, Arc. Adeyinka Ogunseye while commenting on the development said in strong terms that “it will never be in the good interest of the institute should any of its members conspire with ARCON to usurp NIA powers” calling on the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola to wade into the matter by reaching out to both NIA and ARCON before impasse further escalates.

On his own part, the Chairman of the NIA, Lagos State Chapter, Arc. Fitzgerald Umah urged members to resolve all contending issues honourably in the best interest of the institute.

Meanwhile, at the meeting members supported a motion seeking to sell off a landed property acquired by the chapter with an initial aim of building an administrative structure for the chapter.

The agreement by members to sell off the property located at Ebutte-Metta area of Lagos came on grounds that, it was not befitting to the chapter, agreeing the land should be sold with the proceeds saved in fix deposit account till another befitting land will be acquired by the chapter.