FG Commissions Erosion Control Project in Taraba State The Federal Government has commissioned the completed Erosion and flood control project at the National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital. President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented at the event by the Minister of State for Works and Housing, Mu'azu Jaji Sambo as the Special Guest of Honour observed that the project was approved under the ecological intervention projects in 2020 to address the perennial problem of erosion in the area so as to enhance the comfort of the youth corps members during their orientation programme. Sambo emphasized the zeal with which the Buhari led administration had been executing infrastructural projects across the country since inception. He said, " Since the inception of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration various government Ministries and Agencies have taken steps to boost infrastructural development for the wellbeing of the citizenry." He explained that the commitment of the administration to infrastructural development was informed by the social economic role that it plays in enhancing connectivity, safe mobility and the provision of opportunities, all of which add value to the living standards of the people. The Minister described the project as well envisioned and positioned, adding that it underscores the administration's sincerity of purpose and responsiveness in tackling the challenges of its citizens thereby making life more meaningful. He praised President Buhari for carrying every part of the country along in the distribution of social amenities. The Minister commended the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha and the Ecological Project Office under the leadership of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Aisha Lawal for ensuring timely and speedy completion of the project and many others across the country in fulfillment of government promises to the people. The Taraba State Governor, Architect Darius Ishaku who was represented by the Commissioner Taraba State Ministry of Youths and Sports Development Mrs. Napisa Clara Ibrahim commended the Federal Government for executing the project which will bring relief to the benefitting community. In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary Ecological Project Office, Dr. Habiba Lawal said the project was executed by the Ecological Project Office to tackle the erosion and flood problem as well as enhance the road sustainability by constructing concrete drain networks within the camp. She disclosed that the contractor, Messrs. Peters and Partners Inter-Global Limited worked assiduously and conscientiously to ensure that the project was completed on time and in accordance with the specifications contained in the contract document. The Permanent Secretary stated that the purpose of the commissioning and handing over of the project to the benefitting community was to enable them exercise ownership and to ensure its care, protection as well as sustenance. She therefore implored the residents of the NYSC orientation camp and its environs to jealously guard the facility. Dr.Lawal applauded  the exemplary and towering leadership qualities of the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing. The Director General of the NYSC, the Chairman Taraba State NYSC Governing Board and the Taraba State Commissioner for the Ministry of Environment were represented at the occasion. ...

Press Statement The attention of the Ministry of Works and Housing has been drawn to the activities of the Management Committee of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), a transition committee created by law to undertake routine management of the ARCON upon expiration of tenure of its statutory council and pending the constitution of a new council. 2.            In spite of presidential approval for the inauguration of a new council, it has not been possible to inaugurate the council as a result of litigation instituted by members of the Architecture Profession seeking to stop the inauguration. 3.            In the face of this self-induced stalemate, the Management Committee is purporting to exercise powers which only a full committee is permitted by law to exercise. 4.            Such conducts are clearly not only in violation of their enabling statute but could also attract criminal sanctions. These activities include:  a plan to organize the 2022 Colloquium for architects in Nigeria from Monday 23rd –Thursday 26th May, 2022 and a plan to undertake Architects Professional Competency Evaluation (APCE) Exercise. These are core functions of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria and not that of the Management Committee. 5.            In order to forestall any breach of law and guide the Management Committee of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, the stakeholders, and members of public appropriately, it is pertinent to make the following clarifications in line with the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria Act (Cap A19 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004). 6.            The membership composition of the Council is spelt out in Section 2 (2) of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria Act, Cap A19 L.F.N 2004 which provides for the constitution of a 49-member Council of ARCON. 7.            It is this Council that the Act vests with the performance of the core functions of ARCON as provided for by Section 2 (1) (a- c) of the Act. These functions can only be undertaken by the Council when there is a quorum of the membership of the Council.  This is expressly stated in Section 4 of the First Schedule to the Act, thus: “The quorum of the Council shall be ten, so however that, at least one of the persons appointed by the Institute and five of the representatives of the States of the Federation are present at the particular meeting and the quorum of any committee of the Council shall be determined by the Council'' 8.  The Ministry is not unaware of the provisions of Clause 1 (5) of the First Schedule to the Act, which provides that: “Notwithstanding that the term of office of a member of the Council has expired by the effluxion of time, a person appointed as the President, Vice-President or Treasurer of the Council shall continue in that office until a fresh appointment is made to the office.” It is the position of the Ministry that this provision does not entitle the President,  Vice-President or Treasurer who now constitute Management Committee to assume the role of the Council having regards to the statutory provision of Quorum of the Council. Clear guidance is provided by Section 27 of the Interpretation Act Cap. 123 L.F.N 2004, Thus: “any act or thing which a statutory body is authorized or required to do  shall only be done by a majority of members of such statutory body or a quorum of them.'' 9.           A compound reading of the provisions of Section 4 (on the Quorum of the Council), Clause 1(5) of the First Schedule to the Act and  Section 27 of the Interpretation Act clearly indicates that, the President, Vice-President and Treasurer of ARCON do not constitute a quorum for the purpose of carrying out the core functions of the Council. It therefore, follows that the President, Vice-President or Treasurer who now constitute Management Committee can only oversee the routine management of the Council. Moreover, Section 7(3) of the First schedule to the Act further provides that: A decision of the Committee shall be of no effect until it is confirmed by the  Council. 10.    The attention of the Ministry of Works and Housing has been drawn to the  activities of the Management Committee particularly the  newspaper publication  in The Guardian Newspaper of 16th May 2022 in respect of the Architects Professional Competency Evaluation (APCE). These are core statutory functions of the Council when properly constituted and therefore ultra vires the functions of a Management Committee to act upon. 11.       Consequently, in exercise of the supervisory powers of the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing pursuant to the provision of sections 3 and 4 (1) of the Act, as well as Clause 2(2) of the First schedule to the Act, I have been directed by the Honourable Minister to convey the following to the Management Committee of ARCON that the Committee should: i.             refrain forthwith from all activities which constitute statutory functions of the Council as enumerated in Section 2 (1) (a- c) of the Act until a new properly constituted Council is in place; ii.            only oversee the routine administrative management of the Council until a new properly constituted Council is in place; iii.          Retract recent statement in the advert by the Committee on the Architects Professional Competency Evaluation (APCE); iv.          intensify efforts to reconcile the warring factions to embrace dialogue in resolving issues leading to the stagnation of the Profession rather than engage in   needless litigation that created the current impasse; and v.           ensure that the issues that led to the litigation that created the current impasse are speedily and amicably resolved in the best interest of the Architecture profession and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. DATED THIS MONDAY, 23RD DAY OF MAY 2022. Signed: Bashir Nura Alkali, FCA, FCTI Permanent Secretary For: Honourable Minister     ...

Fashola Meets Stakeholders On Rehabilitation Of Eko Bridge, Burnt Section At Apongbon, Other Brigdes, Seeks Cooperation Of All Commutters ...Says the rehabilitation of the Bridge is part of ongoing rehabilitation works on bridges across the country neglected over the years ....AMATO, transport companies, Apapa Local Government officials and traffic regulatory agencies also in attendance ....Reiterates directive for the evacuation by traders, other businesses from under bridges in Lagos, other parts of the country by June 9 The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, on Monday in Lagos briefed transportation stakeholders on the ongoing rehabilitation works on bridges nationwide including Eko Bridge and the recently burnt section at Apongbon with an appeal to commuters for cooperation as the Federal Government provide solutions to the vital road transport infrastructure neglected over the years.  Addressing a Town Hall Meeting of the Stakeholders including representatives of Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), transport companies, Apapa Local Government officials and traffic regulatory agencies held at the Conference Room of the Ministry’s Central Workshop in Ijora, on comprehensive repair of the bridge, and others across the country, Fashola explained that the repairs on Eko Bridge had become expedient as several portions of the bridge had become worn out due to years of neglect. Fashola, who had earlier gone round to see the situation under some bridges in Lagos Island, including Oja Oba/ Third Mainland Bridge/Ring Road, Obalende under Bridge and Apongbon under Bridge incuding the burnt section, where he sensitized traders, artisans and other squatters on the dangers and risks to life that their operations constitute, also extended the evacuation ultimatum to the squatters till June 9, warning that they either comply voluntarily or face forced eviction. At the meeting also attended by top officials of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, the Permanent Secretaries of the Lagos State Ministries of Environment, Transportation and Office of Infrastructure, alongside their Directors, at Ijora-Olopa, in Lagos, the Minister said the government was tackling the problem holistically, and needed support of stakeholders for smooth operations. Soliciting for the support of the Lagos State Ministries of Environment, Transportation and Office of Infrastructure, as well as the Local Governments, to help create awareness among the people over the roles to be played by all stakeholders during rehabilitation works, Fashola added, “We know the problem, we know the solution, we have a plan but we need your support”. The Minister also appealed to the transportation Stakeholders to encourage their members to build truck parks, urging them also not to always resort to “subtle threats or blackmail” each time issues of their members parking in the wrong places was pointed out to them. Fashola said that the colossal damage to the Apongbon section of the Eko Bridge was being addressed by the contractors on the project. Speaking with some of the business owners under the bridges, Fashola said government was giving them one month to relocate their businesses from under the bridges, saying that what happened at Apongbon section of Eko Bridge was an eye opener and government would not want a repeat of the incident. “We are building new bridges and maintaining some old ones so it will not be right to continue to allow you people to do business here as usual. Your businesses here constitute a threat and government wants you people to leave”, the Minister said assuring commuters on Eko Bridge that Government was working hard to mitigate their inconveniences while the rehabilitation work lasts. Recalling that Eko Bridge was built in 1975 and noting that it serves as a a strategic link between the Island and Mainland areas of Lagos, Fashola, who said emergency repair work has already commenced on the Bridge including the damaged section, cited its strategic importance to Lagosians as reason for the expediency. On the burnt section of Eko Bridge at Apongbon , the Minister, pointed out that the repair work needs planning, adding, “I have instructed the Ministry’s Engineers to carry out comprehensive assessment of repairs we need to carry out to know what it will cost government”. He explained that the cost was not in the 2022 Budget “because nobody planned for it”, but added, “So, we have to navigate and overcome the problem”. Earlier, while delivering his welcome address, the Director of Highway Bridges and Design Engr. Oluropo Oyetade, said Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing was supervising 1732 bridges across Nigeria adding that Lagos State, with105, ranked fourth after Taraba, Niger, and Cross River. He said out of that number, government has intervened in 23, with 10 completed, 11 ongoing and new contracts awarded for Carter and Iganmu Bridges in the 2022 Budget. According to the Director, the first phase of the emergency repair of Eko Bridge was carried out in June 2020, during which another set of defects were noticed adding that this led to another contract award for Phase II in September 2020 during which more defects were detected, adding, “The Honourable Minister then directed for a holistic review of the whole bridge. This took all Directors of Highways months to accomplish and culminated in award of Comprehensive Maintenance of Eko Bridge in February 2022”. In his own remarks, the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Olowoshago Kamal, promised collaboration with the Federal Government for speedy completion of the rehabilitation works. While expressing concern on how to evict traders in a popular fish market and truck drivers who have occupied the under bridges, Chairperson of Apapa Local Government, Mrs. Idowu Shobanjo, said that the traders and the truck operators were insisting on remaining under the bridges and on roads adding that they anchored their insistence on alleged promises the State government made to them.  Several business activities including mechanic workshops, ram market, welder workshops, selling of other various commodities were going on as at the time the Minister and his team visited the under bridges. ...