Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr Muttaqha Rabe Darma, PhD has called on the Female Architects of Nigeria (FAN), to uphold professional competence in order to attain greater heights in the discharge of their duties. This was contained in a statement signed by Badamasi S. Haiba, Fsca, mnipr, Director, Press and Public Relations.
The Minister gave the charge when the leadership of the Association led by its Chairperson, Arc. Ene Agada paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja.
While commending the Association for its commitment to inclusivity, empowerment, and mentoring, Darma affirmed that professional competence, not gender, should determine inclusion in the sector.
“ I encourage you to push yourselves beyond what you think you can attain. As professionals, you can only be excluded if you allow it. If you seek to be included in anything, you will be included, whether female or male,” he stated
The Minister urged the Association to forward a formal proposal outlining specific initiatives the Ministry and the Association can implement jointly to improve the participation of women, including both professionals and artisans, in the built environment.
Darma remarked ” The Ministry already has several female architects in senior positions, including Directors and Deputy Directors, who are contributing significantly to the delivery of the Ministry’s mandate”
He further called for action-oriented follow-up, stating that, the Association should at the next meeting present progress made from this engagement to ensure translating into tangible outcomes.
“ We thank you for the contributions you are making to this Ministry, to the Council, and to your profession. Let us move ahead and begin to implement some of the aspects we have discussed,” the Minister concluded.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, noted that their visit was timely, as the Honourable Minister had just inaugurated a committee to fast-track reform process in the housing sector towards achieving greater output.
“Your visit presents an opportunity to explore how you can continue to contribute to what we do here,” he added.
Earlier in her remarks, the Chairperson of the Association of Female Architects of Nigeria (FAN), Arc. Ene Agada, called for stronger collaboration with the Ministry, and commended the Minister’s leadership in advancing national housing delivery and sustainable urban growth.
She thanked the Ministry for the audience and reaffirmed the commitment of FAN to inclusivity, women empowerment, and mentoring young female professionals.
To support the Renewed Hope Agenda, FAN proposed the joint development of affordable, eco-friendly housing tailored to female-headed households and vulnerable groups. The Association also requested that 30 percent of housing units in the programme be reserved for women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable Nigerians.
FAN also offered to partner on the design of resilient and accessible school infrastructure to support early childhood development and community stability and seeks to work with the Ministry to expand vocational training and skills acquisition for women and young people – this will cover modern construction, sustainable building, digital design, and interior architecture to close workforce gaps in the sector, among other areas.
Arc. Agada urged the Ministry to support mentorship and internship placements for young women in architecture and construction, adding that FAN stands ready to contribute its expertise to help deliver housing, schools, and cities that will serve all Nigerians.
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