In an effort to cut costs, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) announced on Thursday that it has moved its corporate headquarters from Abuja to Lagos.
This is what Mrs. Obiageli Orah, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, said in an Abuja statement.
She claims that the move was ordered by Mr. Festus Kayamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, in order to curb the misappropriation of funds and public resources.
According to her, FAAN Management and other stakeholders, including the unions, decided that, at least for the time being, the action was best for the nation and the authority.
Since there isn’t enough office space in Abuja for those impacted by the decision to relocate the headquarters, they have since moved back to Lagos.
“Moving the headquarters to Abuja when there wasn’t a single FAAN building there to house them all at once was a bad idea in the first place.
Since their official posting is in Abuja, they are officially operating out of station, hence the Authority will have to pay them DTA whenever they return to Lagos, she said.
She pointed out that, considering the enormous number of passengers using the airports in Lagos, over 60% of FAAN operations were conducted there.
“The Minister has announced intentions to persuade concessionaires to construct appropriate offices for the Authority in Abuja and Lagos. She added, “Until that is finished, the authority will continue to manage its old building in Lagos, which can currently house all of its directors and senior officials.” She went on to say that the FAAN had not at all reduced its operations in Abuja and that the city would still have fully functional offices.
“The authority’s “corporate headquarters” location was chosen purely on a technical basis; the current operational organisation in both cities is unaffected.
The permanent headquarters’ site will be decided upon once the authority has constructed appropriate corporate structures in both Lagos and Abuja.
“This will rely on the current circumstances,” she stated.
The director emphasised that the FAAN was committed to acting in the nation’s and the public’s best interests going forward.
She said that the minister would not give in to prejudice based on race or sect in order to renege on his pledge to make judgements that serve the interests of the nation, particularly when they included public dollars. (NAN)