FAAN relocation: ‘FG to save N1bn annually from tickets, allowances’

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has revealed that the federal government will henceforth save N1billion annually following the relocation of the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos.

Keyamo said this on Friday in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists at the sidelines of the grand finale of the 10th edition of the Aviation Workers’ Week and Award Nite (AWWAN).

The minister said that in 2023 alone, workers of the agency spent close to N1billion as BTAs as a result of shuttling between Lagos and Abuja.

“I am sure you saw my interview recently, where I explained the situation thoroughly. In fact, I had to do the figures, which I told the management of FAAN to give to us, that in tickets alone we paid more than N450million because of lack of coordination, lack of being in one decision making place. And in Basic Traveling Allowances (BTAs) alone, we paid about N493million in 2023, making nearly N1 illion just because all the decision makers cannot be in one place,” he said.

• Japa: ‘Many Nigerians in forced prostitution in Belgium’
• Paying ransom is criminal – Police

“They don’t have to be shuttling back and forth carrying files to and from Abuja. They don’t have to do that. I only need to see the managing director here when I need her. She will only come to Abuja on the invitation of the minister to brief him on the issues going on,” he said.

The Aviation Workers’ Week and Award Nite was organised by the Joint Consultative and Negotiating Council, an Amalgam of four existing unions in the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, with the theme, “Workers As Strategic Partners in Achieving the Aviation Roadmap.”

The chairman, Joint Consultative and Negotiating Council, Comrade Hector Nnamdi, in his address, noted that the traditional AWWAN started some days ago in the ministry, and that this year’s theme intends to focus on Key Performance Index (KPI) and Key Performance Results (KPRs) as may be achieved through workers’ support and collaboration.