A former Vice President of Nigeria, Arc. Namadi Sambo, has expressed dismay over the recurrent incidence of buildings collapse in Nigeria with attendant human and material losses, attributing the ugly trend to activities of quacks and unscrupulous contractors.
He also tasked the Nigerian architects to address the dearth of quality artisans and tradesmen which has created a dependency on the neighbouring countries against the backdrop of growing unemployment, especially amongst youths in the country.
Sambo said this in his keynote address at the inauguration of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny Echono as the 28th President of Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) and other Executive Executive Council members during the weekend in Abuja.
At the ceremony attended by top government functionaries, captains of industries and creme de la creme of architects in Nigeria, Echono in his inaugural speech pledged to bring down the cost of construction in Nigeria.
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While given recipe for tackling the incidence of buildings collapse in Nigeria, the former Vice President admonished Nigerians to cultivate the habit of optimally using its human capital especially the trained professionals in every sector.
He urged the new Executive Council of NIA to raise the bar of professional practice, promote innovation and entrepreneurship among the members and implement a continuous professional development programme for all categories of practitioners.
“I further challenge our architects to be at the forefront of developing home-grown products and solutions for our housing and building projects in partnership with our local building materials and component manufacturing industries,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, charged the Architects on the provision of sustainable housing solution in the country.
Mustapha, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Mr Olusegun Adekunle, said Architects remain critical to the development of the country, especially in the efforts of the government to bridge the deficit in the housing needs of the country.
The Acting Head of Civil Service of the Federation, on her part, pledged to partner the Nigerian Institute of Architects in the ongoing effort to provide affordable housing units to civil servants across the country.
The new President of NIA, Arc. Sonny Echono, in his inaugural speech delivered on the occasion, said the Institute would reconnect with all stakeholders, reform and rebrand the enterprise, redefine and aggressively promote the role of the architect in the society while making sustained efforts to bring down the cost of construction in the country.
He said: “This we can do by minimising country risks, promoting greater efficiency in project management and eliminating loopholes and avenues of corruption.”
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who poured encomiums on Echono as a strong pillar of the education ministry, said he had no doubt about his capacity to lead the reforms in NIA and expand the opportunities for participation of its members in the nation’s economy.
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