The management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has begun massive redeployment of personnel in three of the agency’s major departments. The redeployment arose from the ongoing investigation into the diversion of N70 million meant for furniture allowance between 2013 and 2016.
A letter that emanated last Monday from the office of FAAN’s Managing Director, Saleh Dunoma, indicated that the redeployments were to take immediate effect.
A FAAN source told our correspondent that no fewer than 50 employees from accounts, audit and human resources were redeployed on Monday and Tuesday. In one case, one Ms. Haruna, who was in charge of salary at the agency’s headquarters, was redeployed to FAAN’s budget and planning department. One Ms. Lola, the former head of treasury, replaced Ms. Haruna.
Also, Dominic Ojo, former head of accounts at FAAN’s headquarters, was redeployed to Ibadan Airport as airport manager, while Ms. Njoku, a former general manager in charge of audits, was moved to the headquarters to head the accounts department. One Ms. Olorunsakin was redeployed from her post as head of accounts at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) Lagos to the audit department at the agency’s headquarters.
One Ms. Williams was moved from the accounts department at the headquarters to the same department at Murtala Muhammed Airport.
One of the most sweeping changes took place at the human resources department where all the staff members at the headquarters were redeployed to the airport while the airport personnel were asked to report to the headquarters. Those most affected were supervisory and management staff who were in charge of files at the headquarters.
Our source said, “The recent fraud in FAAN prompted the removal and redeployment of staff in the agency. Most of the supervisory and lower cadre staff were the ones affected by the exercise. In fact, most of the account department staff in the agency were redeployed to outside Lagos for more efficiency because the staff were deemed corrupt.” The source added: “The redeployment affected the three departments because they are inter-related. Whatever happens in one, affects the others. That is why the management thought it wise to redeploy the staff even though their directors were not aware of the exercise.”
Our source disclosed that the management committee set up to investigate the N70 million fraud involving Ms. Christy Olabode would most likely submit its report tomorrow. According to the source, a copy of the investigative report “will immediately be sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.”
Our correspondent learned that the pioneer chairman of the committee, which was set up three months ago following the discovery of the N70m fraud, was removed under suspicious circumstances. Two sources at the agency said FAAN’s MD, Mr. Dunoma, was uncomfortable with the committee’s pioneer chairman, O. Oduwole. “I think Engineer Dunoma removed Dr. Oduwole because of the suspicion that the pioneer chairman would not want to compromise in his report. Some top management at FAAN were not comfortable with him because of his honesty and integrity. So they prevailed on the MD to replace him with Mr. Sanni, the General Manager, Human Resources. Everybody knows that Mr. Sanni is a stooge of the management,” one source claimed.
Mr. Oduwole is currently in the medical department at the agency’s headquarters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.
