Featured

Why We Are Relocating FAAN Headquarters Back to Lagos – Management

Published

1 year ago

January 20, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), has provided reasons for its planned relocation from the Federal Capital Territory back to Lagos, chief among which is the fact that it intends to stop waste of public resources and rip-off on the public purse.

The agency, through an internal memo from its Managing Director, Mrs. Olubumi Kuku, to the Director of Human Resources and Administration had earlier asked to provide the implication of the decision, saying that moving to Abuja was ill-advised in the first place.

But a statement from the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, has put paid to the speculations and near confirmation of the quest to reloaded the aviation agency back to Lagos, where it had existed prior to 2020, when the government of Muhammadu Buhari moved it to Abuja.

The statement titled, RE: RELOCATION OF FAAN CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS FROM ABUJA TO LAGOS, provided insights into the need to relocate the agency, stressing that those needed to relocate have already relcated even as the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has promised to provide adequate accommodation and other sundry benefits.

The statement quoted the Mrs Ora as follows:

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria notes the inquiries some Nigerians have made regarding the directive of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, to relocate the corporate Headquarters of FAAN from Abuja to its original base, Lagos, where it has operated for decades until recently.

FAAN wishes to inform Nigerians that following wide consultations by the new Management of FAAN with stakeholders, which also involved the Unions, it was agreed that this was in the best interest of the Authority and the country for now for the following reasons:

1. Those affected by the decision to move the headquarters to Abuja have since returned to Lagos as there is no office space for them in Abuja. It was ill-advised in the first place to move the headquarters to Abuja when there was no single FAAN building in Abuja to accommodate all of them at once.

2. Having returned to Lagos, the Authority would be liable to pay them DTA (DUTY TOUR ALLOWANCE) because technically they are working OUT OF STATION as their official posting is to ABUJA. The Minister has decided to stop this waste of public resources and rip-off on the public purse.

3. ⁠The other option open to the Authority was abandon the old FAAN building in Lagos to rot away and to use its scarce resources to rent an office space in Abuja for Millions of Naira of public money when in actual fact more than sixty percent of its activities are in Lagos given the huge passenger volume of the Lagos airports. The stakeholders and the Minister decided against that and to save the country this waste.

4. ⁠The Minister has rolled out plans to get concessionaires to build befitting offices for the Authority in Lagos and Abuja and until that is done, the Authority will continue to manage its old building in Lagos that can accommodate all its Directors and senior officials for now.

5. ⁠Abuja continues to have full operational offices and the Authority has not scaled down operations in Abuja one bit. It is just the technical decision of where the Authority has its ‘corporate headquarters’ that has been taken without affecting the structure of operations as they are for now in both cities.

6. ⁠In the near future, when befitting corporate buildings have been built for the Authority in both Lagos and Abuja, a final decision will be taken as to the location of the permanent headquarters, depending on the exigencies of the time.

7. The Authority wishes to assure members of the public that it will continue to act in the best interest of the public and the country.

8. The Honourable Minister is committed to taking decisions that are in the best interest of the country, especially as it concerns public funds and will not yield to ethnic or sectional sentiments that will derail this commitment’

Much as protests have been noises from some quarters, especially among northerners, the government has insisted that the move is a necessity, and will improve effectiveness of not only the agency but the Aviation as a whole.

Featured

Fubara Bows to Pressure, Invites Pro-Wike awmakers to Peace Meeting

Published

4 days ago

March 10, 2025

Eric

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara has extended an olive branch to lawmakers loyal to his rival, Nyesome Wike.

The governor invited the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly members to a peace meeting, following the Supreme Court’s judgement on the state’s political unrest.

The invitation was made through a letter from Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Secretary to the State Government, to Speaker Martins Amaewhule.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday at 10 am at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

The agenda includes addressing lingering issues, presenting the 2025 state budget, and discussing payment of lawmakers’ allowances.

The letter read: “I hereby write in furtherance of His Excellency’s promise stated in my letter dated 5th March 2025 to notify you that His Excellency has received the Supreme Court Judgment, and has therefore directed me to invite you and your colleagues -the Honourable members of Rivers State House of Assembly, to a meeting to discuss:-

“Provision of a befitting space for the Assembly’s sittings. Payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members. Presentation of Budget and sundry matters;

“Any other matter(s), as may be necessary, to chart the way forward in the best interest of the State. Sequel to the above, I hereby humbly invite the Rt. Hon. Speaker, and all the Rivers State House of Assembly members to a meeting with the Governor as follows.”

Featured

Rivers Lawmaker Rejects Fubara’s Invitation for Peace Meeting

Published

4 days ago

March 10, 2025

Eric

A member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Lolo Isaiah Opuende, has dismissed an invitation from Governor Siminialayi Fubara for a crucial meeting at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Monday.

In an online video, Opuende stated that it was time for the governor to “dey his dey” (be on his own) while the lawmakers would do the same.

Representing Akuku-Toru Constituency 2, Opuende recalled that when the political crisis began, their principal had warned that a time would come for both sides to go their separate ways.

He also questioned the mode of invitation transmission, arguing that it is not feasible for lawmakers to honor the governor’s request.

“How can you write a letter for the House of Assembly and put it on social media and expect us to come? The governor should write us the proper way,” he insisted.

Featured

Abacha Family Slams Babangida, Says Book a ‘Revisionist Narratives’, Distortion of Facts

Published

4 days ago

March 10, 2025

Eric

The family of the late General Sani Abacha has rebuffed claims made by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, that the late Abacha was responsible for the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

In his recently launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, Babangida expressed regret over the annulment, acknowledging that the Social Democratic Party’s candidate, MKO Abiola, won the election.

Describing the annulment as an “accident of history,” IBB blamed military officers led by Abacha, who was then his Chief of Defence Staff, for the controversial decision, alleging that it was done “without his permission.”

Reacting in a Sunday statement signed by his son, Mohammed Abacha, the late dictator’s family dismissed IBB’s claims, insisting that Abacha was neither the Head of State nor the Commander-in-Chief at the time of the annulment.

The family accused Babangida of attempting to distort historical facts and shift blame.

“The decision to annul the election was made under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, who, as the then Head of State, held absolute executive powers and was solely responsible for the actions of his government,” the statement read.

“Any attempt to shift this blame onto General Sani Abacha, who was a very senior military officer within the regime, is a deliberate distortion of historical facts. For years, various actors have attempted to rewrite the history of that critical period in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.”

The Abacha family also urged Nigerians to be cautious of what they termed “revisionist narratives” intended to manipulate public perception for political gain.

“We urge Nigerians to be wary of revisionist narratives that seek to manipulate public perception for personal or political reasons.

“The memory of our late father and leader, General Sani Abacha, must not be tarnished by baseless accusations meant to absolve those who were truly responsible,” the statement continued.

In conclusion, the family slammed Babangida’s autobiography for failing to present an honest account of events, stating, “We regret that A Journey in Service missed the opportunity and failed to make history as a truthful and objective account of past events.

“As one public commentator aptly put it, honesty, sincerity, and integrity are virtues not commonly associated with the author.”

Source: Newspoint