Climate Change: Reps move to establish Landscape Architecture Council

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The House of Representatives on Thursday passed through a second reading, a bill which seeks to provide for the establishment of the Landscape Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, charged with the registration and regulation of the landscape architects profession.

The proposed legislation sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu and eight others, seeks to mitigate the extreme environmental challenges, elevate our built environment and foster sustainable development.

Leading the debate on its general principles, Hon. Kama Nkemkanma noted that the council when established will serve as the custodian of professional standards in the profession.

According to him, the council will undertake the vital responsibility of determining who qualifies as a landscape architect, and maintain a register of qualified practitioners.

He stressed that the profession, contrary to notions of just planting flowers and addressing complex issues around social-ecological resilience, also develops concepts on how to mitigate and adapt to extreme environmental phenomena as well as turning the trajectory of the way development is understood in an ever-changing climate.

He said: “The role and contribution of landscape architecture include the creation of an image of the Nigerian landscape through the application of contemporary environmental design principles and practices, along with traditional use of open spaces and integrating indigenous art with the modern concept of landscape planning. Landscape architecture which is an integral aspect of our infrastructure market contributes significantly to the aesthetic and functional aspects of our public and private spaces and facilities.

“Recognizing the paramount importance of the practice of landscape architecture in the built environment and the overall economy, it becomes imperative to provide a regulatory framework for the registration and regulation of professionals in this regard to promote competence, professionalism, and ethical conduct of individuals engaged in the practice of landscape architecture. The Bill, which seeks to establish the Landscape Architects Registration Council of Nigeria comprises of twenty-three sections divided into five parts and one schedule and aims at – determining who landscape architects are for the purposes of this Bill.

“Determining the standards of knowledge and skill to be attained by persons seeking to become registered as landscape architects and reviewing those standards, from time to time, as circumstances may permit; securing in accordance with the provisions of the Bill the establishment and maintenance of a register of persons entitled to practice as landscape architects and the publication, from time to time, of lists of those persons; regulating and controlling the practice of the profession in all its aspects and ramifications; and performing such other functions that may be so conferred.”

Thereafter the Bill was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen who presided over the plenary session and referred the bill to the Committee on Works for further legislative action.

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