Aviation Unions Laud Keyamo Over Relocation of FAAN Headquarters to Lagos
The Aviation Unions which include the Nigeria Aviation Fire and Safety Association (NAFSA), 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 commended the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development of Nigeria, Festus Keyamo, over the relocation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters from Abuja to Lagos.
According to the Nigeria Aviation Fire and Safety Association (NAFSA) the relocation is the best decision that will enhance productivity and also boost operational efficiency.
The body in a letter jointly signed by Akinwumi Emmanuel and Ugbeikwu Sunday, its national secretary and president respectively, said “The decision to relocate FAAN HQ from Lagos to Abuja abinitio was unwise and not well-thought-through.
“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.”
In the same vein, 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) in a joint bulletin signed by their secretaries have also commended the initiative, adding that the initial relocation of FAAN headquarters to Abuja was hasty.
The aviation stakeholders in the aviation sector noted that they have 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.
According to them, 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 therefore called on the Federal Government to make Lagos convenient for staff to operate.
