Fashola Salutes Pioneering Work of Alhaji Femi Okunnu in Inaugurating ARCON 52 Years Ago  ·       Minister advocates synergy, cooperation among Nigerians as he performs groundbreaking, foundation laying ceremony of ARCON House in Abuja ·      Commends ARCON for showing example of choosing to build in spite of past disagreement ·      ARCON President, past president, Obong Victor Attah, others praise Minister for brokering peace within the profession Fifty-two years after he served as Federal Commissioner for Works, Elder Statesman, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, was Thursday commended by the current Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, for kick-starting the great journey of building the nation, by inaugurating the first Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) in 1969. Fashola, who spoke Thursday while performing the groundbreaking and foundation laying ceremony of the proposed ARCON House in Abuja, saluted the former Federal Commissioner for Works, who happens to be his Uncle, for his foresight, describing as ironic the fact that he is today continuing the journey of nation-building as a distant successor of his Uncle. “It is indeed very ironic that I happen to be here today to now continue the journey he started. Really, it is interesting how these things happen and ironically none of us is an architect, but very happily we are both lawyers”, the Minister said expressing joy that the challenge is that of building and not of disagreement. In a short but impactful speech he gave at the ceremony, Fashola called for synergy and cooperation among all Nigerians, especially professionals and other stakeholders, to join hands to rebuild the nation, saying in spite of the challenges and disagreements among the various stakeholders and interest groups, Nigerians could work together to build a nation of peace and harmony. He told the quality audience consisting of past presidents of ARCON, members of Council and other icons in the Built Industry, “This is time for rebuilding our nation, this is time for rebuilding brotherhood, this is time for building our future”, adding that in a symbolic way, ARCON, by the day’s event, “is building its own future”. Noting with delight that despite being enmeshed in challenges of disagreement a few years ago, ARCON had decided to set aside those challenges and build for itself a befitting House, Fashola declared, “Therefore, in spite of disagreements, we can still build if we choose to listen, if we choose to work together and if we choose to keep ego aside”. The Minister commended the current ARCON leadership noting that three years ago, when it was inaugurated, the Architecture profession had very many challenges which he described as largely man-made. “But” he added, “I am happy that Engr. Ajayi (President of ARCON) and his team have taken upon themselves to say that if these problems are man-made, it will only take men of goodwill to resolve it and this is a very good example of the microcosm of what ARCON has done as a blessing to all of us”. Commending ARCON for the decision to build and establish its presence in the Federal Capital Territory as a symbol of the unity of its professionals, Fashola declared, “To all the seen and unseen hands who have helped to restore engagement, who have helped to restore that family, I send my great word of thanks”, adding, “This is a much better place for the Architecture Family than where it was three years ago”. “I am joyous because you have helped to give invaluable quality to the many generations of those who are aspiring to join the profession. This is a very great challenge worth having; a challenge of building not a challenge of disagreement”, the Minister said. Fashola, who expressed pleasure in the honour accorded him to perform the ceremony, however called on all the stakeholders to endeavour to contribute their quotas to see to the completion of the House in record time, adding, “The work has just begun, so all of those hands, president and past presidents and all other interest groups must brace up to this challenge, so together we can hand-over a very befitting and very momentous turn to the next generation”. In his goodwill message earlier, the Governor of Taraba State, Arch. Darius Dickson Isiaku, congratulated ARCON for finally deciding to build for itself, describing as a paradox the fact that the Council has for decades built edifices for others without having a roof over its own head.  Commending the efforts of the Minister of Works and Housing and his FCT counterpart to bring the ARCON decision to reality, the Governor, who was represented at the occasion by one of the State officials, Arc. Dauda, also commended the efforts of the Council to make the project possible at this time. In his own goodwill, the Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, who was also represented at the occasion, congratulated ARCON on its efforts to establish its presence in Abuja noting that by its mandate his Ministry considers ARCON a veritable stakeholder in the development of the nation. Others who gave goodwill messages included a past President of ARCON and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Arc. Obong Victor Attah, who thanked Fashola for brokering lasting peace within the profession urging him to ensure that Nigeria is being built by Nigerian Architects and where a foreigner is concerned, such foreigner should be registered in Nigeria. Earlier in his welcome address, ARCON President, Arch (Sir) Gabriel Oladipupo Ajayi listed the cardinal objectives of ARCON to include re-engineering the Council, harmonizing positions with all interest groups with the help of the Minister of Works and Housing, who, according to him, “calls us together all the time” and building a befitting home for Architects as well as maintaining a visible presence in Lagos. Expressing gratitude to the Minister for his peace efforts that have brought the profession and interest groups together, the ARCON President declared, “On his part, he has been a backbone of this Council”, adding that as a result the Council has delivered on all fronts. ...

Sensitize Other Institutions for Partnership –Aliyu The Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, FNSE has advised management of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors to sensitize other government and non- governmental institutions on the important of survey to infrastructure development in order to enjoy wide partnership. Aliyu who represented the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN gave the advice during a courtesy visit by a delegation of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors. The Minister further noted that the Ministry of Works and Housing appreciates the value of the institution to building and construction, adding that other institutions like the Nigerian Army should be sensitized on the importance of survey in construction works in order to partner with the institution in all their construction activities. Aliyu added that the world would not be stable without survey, stating that nothing could be put on the ground without properly giving all the coordinates and the levels to superimpose whatever anyone would want to impose on the ground. “Sensitize people to partner with you, it will enable them imbibe best global practices to what they are doing,” the Minister added. Engr. Aliyu assured the delegation of the ministry's support towards the successful hosting of the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors in Abuja. Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation and President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Surv.  Charles D. Charles said they were in the ministry to invite the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN as the Chief Host of the forthcoming Annual General Meeting of the Institution and solicit for the support and cooperation of the ministry towards the event. Surv.  Charles disclosed that the annual meeting of the institution which has as its theme, "Emerging trends in Geospatial Technologies for Earth System and Infrastructure Mapping Monitoring and Management,” would be held in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, from 25th – 27th May, 2021. According to the President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, the sub- themes would address trends in Geospatial Technologies which would include: Mapping and Monitoring, Earth Resources Mapping, Monitoring and Management. In addition, Surv Charles explained that the conference would create opportunities for all stakeholders in the geo-spatial industry to discuss and showcase latest developments in knowledge, processes and facilities that would help drive the surveying and mapping environment for successful delivery of national and organizational policies and projects. He further informed the Minister that the investiture of the 22nd President of the Institution would take place on 27th May, 2021 at the conference. The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS) is the umbrella Professional Association of Surveyors in Nigeria, a member of the International Federation of Surveyors ( IFS), the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy ( CASLE)and the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN). ...

FG Urges Private Developers To Ease off Housing Affordability to Nigerians Under COVID-19 The Federal Government has urged private developers and individuals who build houses for commercial gains to ease off the cost which they control to enable Nigerians afford housing under this Covid 19 era. Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN represented by the Minister of States for Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, FNSE made the remark at the 9th Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development Meeting held in Jos, Plateau State. "My recommendation for improving access and affordability to housing in the Covid-19 era is for private companies and individuals to give back some of what they control to citizens in the way the Federal Government has given back to citizens some of what it controls," he said. He explained, for example in cases where rent of businesses or individuals are due for renewal, the private landlords can give back, by accepting monthly, quarterly or half- yearly rent instead of one year, two or three years rent in advance. Fashola noted that the Federal and state governments have limited parts to play in the area of provision of affordable housing to Nigerians because houses for sale and rent are mostly built by individuals and private companies compared to that of the federal government. The Minister enjoined Council to recommend, as part of its communique, a legislation that limits payment of rent in advance and add sanctions for violation. He said "It is therefore my candid recommendation to this Council to consider intervention by way of recommending a legislation that limits advance payment for renting an accommodation." In addition, Fashola told Council to consider Cooperative housing as part of their discourse and recommendations for affordability and accessibility to housing in the country. He commended Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) for driving the Cooperative housing initiative at the federal government level, adding that it is advantageous because cooperative members can choose what they design and build to fit their budgets and they can leverage their members to get group discount for purchases of building materials as well as engagement of contractors. In his remarks, the Governor of Plateau State, Rt Hon. Simon Bako Lalong told the participants to come up with tangible solutions to tackle the challenges of land titling affecting affordable and accessible housing in the country. He said the absence of Geographical Information System (GIS) is another major challenge impeding affordable housing in the country and encouraged states to embark on it, noting that GIS makes documentation, verification and transfer of land titles easy. The Governor assured the Council that rhe Government of Plateau State would Implement all notable recommendations that would be churned out of the meeting. Among those in attendance were some members of the National and Plateau State Houses of Assembly, Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa, the Surveyor -General of the Federation, Surv. Samuel Adediran Taiwo and representatives of professional and regulatory bodies in the built industry.     ...