Architects Demand NewArcon Board

The Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) has urged the Federal Government to, without delay, reconstitute the board of Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) so as to ensure that only registered members are permitted to practice in the country.

The President of the Institute, Architect Olatunji Bolu, who made this known to journalists in Port Harcourt  recently said that the high rate of migration from the rural to the urban centres had put pressure on the urban centres and as such that the urban  centres are gradually becoming slums.

He said that the NIA would collaborate with state and local governments in the country in the area of urban renewal and upgrading toward controlling the rate of rural-urban migration.

According to him “There is need to put urban renewal programmes in place. We should also upgrade the slum areas to ensure they are habitable. This will go a long way in reducing the rate of migration to the urban centres”.

Bolu further posited that demolition of structures in the slum areas was not the last resort to pave way for the construction of mega cities, stressing that the plight of the residents in the area should be considered by government.

The NIA boss also posited that state government should ensure the proper enforcement of building code policy, if the issue of incessant cases of building collapse must be addressed.

He said that the NIA was doing its best to ensure that this human made disaster is brought to the bearest minimum.