The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of Nigeria, Festus Keyamo, has continued to receive applause over the relocation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters from Abuja to Lagos.
The Nigeria Aviation Fire and Safety Association (NAFSA) said it is the best decision that will enhance productivity and also boost operational efficiency.
“The decision to relocate FAAN HQ from Lagos to Abuja ab initio was unwise and not well-thought-through,” the body said in a letter jointly signed by Akinwumi Emmanuel and Ugbeikwu Sunday, its national secretary and president respectively.
“Lagos, aside from being the commercial nerve center, is the hub of the aviation business in Nigeria. Therefore, the relocation of FAAN HQ from Abuja to Lagos can be described as the best decision that will enhance productivity and also boost operational efficiency.”
Meanwhile, the Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), and the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) have also commended the initiative.
In a joint bulletin signed by their secretaries, the groups said the initial relocation of FAAN headquarters to Abuja was hasty.
“The recent instructions for the redeployment of FAAN staff to Abuja is a welcome one,” the aviation stakeholders stated.
“Recall that the unions had on several occasions expressed concerns over the hasty manner staff were relocated to Abuja without adequate arrangements for accommodation, infrastructure, and other logistics for smooth running.
“Senior staff were left stranded without office and working tools while junior staff were helpless, with no provision for documents and working files and most worrisome absence of backup for data.”
The groups, however, urged the Federal Government to make Lagos convenient for staff to operate.