The decision by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to move its corporate headquarters from Abuja to Lagos has sparked a positive response from aviation workers. In a joint statement on Friday, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association, National Union of Air Transport Employees, and the Association of Nigerians Aviation Professionals expressed their backing for the relocation.

The move, announced by Obiageli Orah, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at FAAN, came following an order from Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, aimed at curbing financial wastage.

Aviation workers commended the government’s efforts, particularly highlighting the need for proper arrangements and infrastructure before staff were relocated to Abuja. They expressed concerns about the lack of office accommodation, working tools for senior management staff, and the absence of provisions for junior staff’s documents, files, and data backup.

In a notable stance, the unions emphasized that staff who had previously received relocation allowances, albeit insufficient, should not be compensated for this redeployment.

This decision resonates with the previous directive by former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, who, after the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, ordered the relocation of the headquarters of FAAN and other aviation agencies from Lagos to Abuja.