The Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) has opened up a new deal with First Bank of Nigeria Plc to empower Nigerian architects with soft loans through cooperative society.
President of the council, Arc. (Sir.) Oladipupo Ajayi, made the disclosure recently in Abuja while rendering stewardship of his service between 2018 and 2021 to stakeholders.
Ajayi, who took the baton of leadership of the council in 2018
following a keenly contested election, was sworn in on June 12, 2018.
And statutorily, the council has three years lifespan in the first instance, though renewable for the second term, if re-elected.
Apart from other representatives, those who managed the affairs of the council with Ajayi included Arc. Shamsuna Ahmed, Arc. Vice President; Arc. Celestine Eze, Treasurer and Arc. Umar Murnai, Registrar.
They will continue to steer the family of architecture pending the inauguration of a new council by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Raji Fashola (SAN).
In his valedictory speech, Ajayi, who was elated for the opportunity to serve, however, noted that his council inherited numerous challenges, but he was grateful to God that, many of those issues were amicably resolved.
He appreciated council members, staffs and particularly, Fashola, whose ministry supervises the council for his support to ARCON under his leadership, making his administration build on some of the achievements on the ground and break new grounds.
Ajayi, who hinted that his administration has considerably enhanced architecture in practice, procedure, discipline and other ramifications, said his council also brokered a cooperative deal with First Bank Plc.
“There is however the issue of cooperative society which the First
Bank of Nigeria Plc has agreed to anchor for us. The cooperative
society has facilities for housing through common loans under the small and medium enterprises through single digits because they can track the repayment”, he cheerfully.
According to him, within three years of his presidency, the number of registered architects was increased by 694, representing 57 per cent and that brought the number of registered architects to 4926 as of today.
Similarly, 91 no of technologists were inducted, representing 68 per cent inducted by this council.
“We have seen the register of architects grow, during our leadership. While I am sure that this exponential growth is a step in the right direction, it has posed a huge challenge to the council as a body to grow the capacity of members to match the required level of service to the society that befits the information age we are.”
He added: “In these three years, I have seen people come together and put aside individual differences because, under the circumstances, all our priorities became aligned due to the underlying need to save a profession.”
As a council, he noted that despite the global pandemic that
pervaded an appreciable period of his tenure, ARCON with the help of Mr. Fashola, SAN, commenced the renovation of the Lagos office.
He added that, only of very recent, the council reclaimed a seemingly lost property and currently in the process of erecting a befitting edifice having successfully had the ground-breaking and foundation laying ceremony.
On numerous court cases he inherited, Ajayi said: “During this period, we have also navigated the tortuous path of legal battles in the law courts and emerged victorious in many while we pursued the path of peaceful resolution for some others.”
He assured on continuous quality service saying: “I hope that we will be able to instil in the next generation the value of qualitative service delivery and teach them to be socially responsible as we continue in the various corners of our professional endeavours to give what we can, how we can when we can.”
