The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has firmly asserted that the decision to relocate the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters from Abuja to Lagos is irreversible.

Keyamo made this declaration during a monitored program on Wednesday, stating, "We are going ahead. The directive has been given."

Despite opposition from figures like Senator Ali Ndume from Borno South and various northern groups, including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), who perceive the move as an attempt to marginalise the northern region, Keyamo emphasised the necessity of the relocation.

Keyamo, a senior advocate for Nigeria, explained that the decision aligns with current economic and operational realities. He highlighted that shifting the FAAN headquarters to Lagos would annually save the government and the Nigerian people half a billion naira, which is currently spent on air tickets for officials commuting between Lagos and Abuja.

Addressing concerns about President Bola Tinubu's awareness of the decision, Keyamo asserted that the decision falls under the minister's purview. He clarified that only the headquarters of one of the seven aviation agencies in the country is being moved, emphasising that the decision-makers, not the majority of workers, determine the location of the headquarters.

READ ASLO: FAAN Relocates Headquarters From Abuja Back To Lagos

Keyamo shed light on the lack of adequate provisions when his predecessor, Hadi Sirika, relocated all aviation agency headquarters from Lagos to Abuja in 2020. He pointed out that the move resulted in challenges for principal officers, such as directors and their support staff.

The minister underscored the digitalization gap within FAAN and highlighted the financial burden of officials shuttling between Lagos and Abuja. He revealed that in a year, FAAN spends nearly half a billion naira on flight tickets alone for officials travelling for routine tasks like getting a file signed.