- Keyamo’s directive was in the best interest of the country as it helped to reduce expenditures.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has revealed why it decided to relocate its corporate headquarters from Abuja to Lagos.
Within Nigeria had on Thursday reported that Festus Kayamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, ordered the relocation of FAAN headquarters to Lagos.
However, in a statement by Mrs Obiageli Orah, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, he said Keyamo’s directive was in the best interest of the country as it helped to reduce expenditures.
She said that the FAAN management, alongside stakeholders, which also involved the unions, agreed that the relocation would do the authority and the country lot of good.
He said those affected by the decision have since moved to Lagos, adding that the movement of the headquarters to Abuja in the first place was unreasonable.
“Those affected by the decision to move the headquarters to Abuja have since returned to Lagos as there is no office space for them in Abuja.
“It was ill-advised in the first place to move the headquarters to Abuja when there was no single FAAN building in Abuja to accommodate all of them at once.
“Having returned to Lagos, the Authority will be liable to pay them DTA because technically they are working out of station as their official posting is to Abuja,” she said.
She noted that more than 60 per cent of the FAAN activities was in Lagos, given the huge passenger volume of the Lagos airports.
“The Minister has rolled out plans to get concessionaires to build befitting offices for the Authority in Lagos and Abuja.
“Until that is done, the authority will continue to manage its old building in Lagos that can accommodate all its directors and senior officials for now”, she added.
She stated that Abuja would continue to have full operational offices as FAAN had not scaled down operations in Abuja one bit.
“It is just the technical decision of where the authority has its ‘corporate headquarters’ that has been taken without affecting the structure of operations as they are for now in both cities.
“In the near future, when befitting corporate buildings have been built for the authority in both Lagos and Abuja, a final decision will be taken as to the location of the permanent headquarters.
“This will depend on the exigencies of the time,” she said.
The director stressed that the FAAN was determined to continue to act in the best interest of the public and the country