The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) announced on Thursday that it has moved its corporate headquarters from Abuja to Lagos in order to cut costs.
The decision, made by Mr. Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, according to a statement released by Mrs. Obiageli Orah, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, was aimed at preventing the misuse of public funds.
The FAAN management, along with stakeholders including the unions, agreed that the action was currently in the best interest of the authority and the country.
“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 stated that due to the high passenger flow at Lagos’ airports, more than 60% of FAAN operations took place there.
“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 maintained that Abuja will continue to have full operating offices since FAAN has not reduced activities in Abuja in any way.
“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 emphasized that the FAAN will continue to operate in the best interests of the people and the country.
