Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has asserted that the relocation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) headquarters from Abuja to Lagos is non-negotiable.
“We are going ahead. The directive has been given,” the minister said matter-of-factly while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday.
Despite facing opposition from Senator Ali Ndume and northern groups, who alleged a marginalisation agenda, Keyamo defends the move, citing imperative economic and operational considerations.
The senator, alongside influential figures from the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF), and other northern groups, has vociferously opposed FAAN and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in their relocation efforts, raising concerns about potential marginalization of the northern region.
Minister Keyamo contends that the shift in FAAN’s headquarters is an indispensable response to current economic and operational realities. As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, he underscores the necessity of the move, emphasizing its potential to annually save half a billion naira spent on air tickets for officials commuting between Lagos and Abuja. This, he argues, aligns with the government’s commitment to prudent resource management.
Highlighting the impetus behind the decision, Keyamo reveals that top FAAN officials and aviation unions approached him, advocating for the relocation to Lagos as a strategic move to enhance operational efficiency. The minister’s unwavering position sets the stage for a nuanced debate on the balance between regional considerations and the broader interests of economic optimization within the aviation sector.
