Newly registered architects warned against professional misconduct

All registered architects in Nigerian have been charged to desist from any act of professional misconducts in all their professional engagements. The profession’s regulatory body, Architects Regulatory Council of Nigeria (AR- CON) gave the warning on Monday in Abuja while registering over 450 newly registered architects and firms.

The registration, according to ARCON, was part of its main responsibilities and it was done to shore up number of qualified architects and architectural firms in the country. Arc (Sir) Dipo Ajayi, President, ARCON, who said that everything was not money, but integrity and professional- ism, urged the new architects to think out of the box to make the difference.

“I congratulate all of you for going through all the processes. It is not how long you live, but, it is the fulfillment you derive in life. Don’t ever think that your license can give you all you want in life, but, fulfillment should be your drive.”

According to Ajayi, the nation is going quietly going through a revolution, which is entrepreneurship, calling on architects to be dynamic and think out of the box to make impactful difference.

Warning against misconduct, the ARCON president reminded the new entrants that the regulatory body has in place both Architects Investigative Panel (AIP) and Architects Disciplinary Tribunal (ADT) that would deal with cases of infraction without fear or favour.

Arc. Umaru Aliu, ARCON immediate past president, who lamented over quackery, urged the architects to up- lift the code of professional conduct and ethics. “We have the code of professional conduct and ethics to guide all our undertakings as architects. Unfortunately, we are where we are today due to lawlessness that has pervaded the land. Foreigners don’t come and take the job all by themselves. They hide behind those who front for them.”

He charged the new architects to do the right always, memorise the code to avoid temptation.

Arc. Umoru Karaye, who spoke on ‘Condition of Engagement, Charges and Agreement by Professional Architects”, urged the architects to familiarise themselves with the document, which he said was developed for the protection of architecture in Nigeria. He urged them to be good ambassadors of the profession, adding that, those ahead of them in the profession would be available to assist them where and when possible.