The Minister of Aviation, Alhaji Hadi Sirika, has directed all aviation agencies and parastatals to relocate their corporate headquarters to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja within the next forty-five (45) days.
With this directive, the five agencies of the Ministry of Aviation, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) are expected to relocate to Abuja within the given timeframe.
Right from 1999 when President Olusegun Obasanjo directed all federal Ministries, Departments and agencies to move their corporate headquarters to Abuja from Lagos, aviation agencies had always resisted all attempts to move, citing the fact that Lagos is the major hub of aviation activities in Nigeria.
Of the five, only NiMET obeyed the another 2012 Presidential directive that all federal government agencies must move their headquarters to Abuja. It has its headquarters currently at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
In a letter dated 4th May 2020, FMA/PMD/7061/T/4, and signed on behalf of the Minister of Aviation by the Director, Human Resource Management, Muhammad Shehu, the Minister said that the movement is now imperative because of the current global economic situation and reducing cost of governance.
Titled ‘Relocation of Aviation Agencies to Abuja,’ it read: “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 (8) years after the directive, the agencies are yet to comply.
“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 Honourable Minister’s directive (Copy attached) to request that you facilitate and complete the relocation of your corporate headquarters within the next forty-five (45) days in line with this earlier directive.”