FG gives FAAN, NAMA, others 45 days to relocate HQs to Abuja

The Federal Government has ordered all aviation agencies to relocate their headquarters to Abuja within  45 days.

The Ministry of Aviation officials confirmed this on Friday, adding that the directive only involves four of the ministry’s agencies, as two other key parastatals have their headquarters in Abuja and Kaduna.

This came as some employees of the affected agencies complained that there were few office spaces in Abuja to accommodate the workforce.

However, it was learnt that the directive by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, is aimed at cutting down the cost of governance by the Federal Government.

Currently, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Accident Investigation Bureau and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency have their headquarters in Lagos.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has its headquarters in Abuja, while the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology has its in Zaria, Kaduna State.

In a letter dated May 4, 2020, with reference FMA/PMD/7061/T/4 and signed on behalf of Sirika by the Director, Human Resource Management, FMA, Muhammad Shehu, the minister reminded the agencies that the order was  given  by the President in 2012.

The letter read in part, ”I am directed to remind you of a Presidential directive issued in 2012 requesting all the agencies under the Ministry of Aviation to relocate their corporate headquarters to the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) for efficient and effective coordination and enhanced service delivery and note that eight years after the directive, the agencies are yet to comply.”

The minister stated in the letter that it was imperative for the agencies to heed the order following the economic realities globally.

Sirika said, “Accordingly, considering the current situation and the economic impact worldwide, as well as the need to reduce the cost of governance and manage scarce resources in a sustainable way, it has become imperative and further to the minister’s directive to request that you facilitate and complete the relocation of your corporate headquarters within the next 45 days in line with this earlier directive.”