By Tanimu Muhammad
The Architects’ Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), has called on Nigerian government to patronise registered Nigerian architects, as they possess the skills to deliver quality services that will boost the nation’s environment.
The Council president Arc. Oladipupo Ajayi made this appeal during the council’s first virtual induction ceremony, which led to the licensure of newly registered architects and architectural firms.
Ajayi, said a situation where some government officials still prefer and patronise their foreign counterparts over them, was not healthy for the development of the profession, the construction industry and the economy.
The president, further noted that, times were changing, and also urged Nigerian architects to think outside the box and create wealth, adding that, many emerging opportunities abound within the profession.
He said gone were the days when they were used to the conventional way, adding that, Nigerian architects must be innovative and creative to deliver designs that meet the need of the moment.
He said: “architects, who are leaders in the construction family, must evolve new ways of doing things, embrace technology in their day-to-day life and create wealth.
“Notwithstanding the biting effects of coronavirus, architects have greater opportunities to prove their leadership role by embracing innovative designs that both meet the need of clients such that can be sustained in the nearest future.”
Speaking on the need for all registered architects to promote the use of ARCON Project Registration Number (APRN), registrar of the council, Arc. Umar Murnai said it was part of the regulator’s initiative to improve standard of projects and to make architects involved in any construction project to take responsibility for his or her contract.
According to him, APRN is a unique composite-encoding of the architect’s registration number, the plot number, the project location, the application date and a unique serial number, followed by a special suffix (if required) for special sectors such as educational institutions and housing corporations.
