The Association of Nigerian Chartered Architect, ANCA, has called for the reversal of the Federal government's decision to discontinue budgetary allocation to professional bodies and councils from 2024, describing same as defective.

The Association, in a statement signed by the National Secretary and President, Arc 'Koye Jolaoso and Arc ‘Noyor Omatsone, said the choice of funding model should consider the goals, characteristics, and priorities of the regulatory agency.

According to it, the model should also consider the environment in which the regulatory agencies operate.

The Federal Government had through a circular from the budget office of the federation dated June 2023 conveyed the decision of the Presidential Committee on Salaries to discontinue budgetary allocation to professional bodies and councils.

ANCA said though it is not directly affected by the policy, it however does affect members, architects in general and ordinary Nigerian citizens who are the consumers of architectural practice and services.

“The Association of Nigerian Chartered Architects (ANCA) has followed with keen interest and concern, the Federal Government Circular, through the Budget Office of the Federation of 26th June, 2023, conveying the decision of the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) to discontinue budgetary allocation, wherewith the personnel, overheads and capital expenditures of the Professional Bodies and Councils would be self-funded from Year 2024.

“The choice of funding model should consider the goals, characteristics, and priorities of the regulatory agency, as well as the regulatory environment in which it operates.

“Therefore, where and when a policing agency is not empowered and logistically strengthened, that sector of the society heads for failure, as it has manifested in the frequency of collapse of buildings during and after construction.

“It is apt to note herewith that, Nigeria as a system struggling with uncertainties and instability, a self-funding model at a point of implementation will give rise to undue influences, avoidable compromises and inherent potential conflict of interest that shall be occasioned and/or exacerbated by the drive for revenue generation and struggle for survival against the performance of the core mandates for their establishment.

“Thus, a properly funded regulatory body will be more stable with a predictable source of income that will in turn allow for the planning of its activities alongside with its allocated resources should be the focus, right step and direction to aptly take.

The Association recalled how the FG, for similar reasons, ‘failed, refused and declined to fund the activities and functions of the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) over the past decades.’

The Association said the core function of ARCON is essentially geared towards policing and protecting the Nigerian environment and citizens against unguided practices, quackery, incompetence, loss of lives and properties for the public good.

According to it, asking ARCON to self-fund is like asking ‘the ilk of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), National Identity Management Commission, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to fund its operation or functions of road safety, issuance and renewal of driver’s license, amongst others.’

“ANCA therefore wishes to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the policy that expects a policing agency to fund itself and expect performance.

“ANCA advices the Federal Government to take a critical look at this defective policy and reverse it, in order to enable its policing agencies, like ARCON, to be adequately funded for better, effective and efficient performance.”