Workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency NIMET have called off their indefinite strike
The strike was called off following an intervention by the minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo, as the strike was suspended until May 13th, 2025, pending the outcome of the Minister’s intervention on the issues raised
Special Adviser media to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Tunde Moshood, in a statement said the decision to suspend the strike was reached at the end of the meeting convened by Keyamo with union leaders of National union of Air Transport Employees NUATE and the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals ANAP.
National Secretary of NUATE Comrade Aba Ocheme who spoke after the meeting said “We have resolved to suspend the ongoing strike till May 13, 2025, in recognition of the Honourable Minister’s timely and sincere intervention. We await the progress of the actions he has committed to take.”
National President of ANAP, Comrade Alale Adedayo also stated that
“As a mark of respect for the Honourable Minister’s intervention and assurance, we have decided to temporarily call off the strike while the process of resolution is ongoing.”
The Honourable Minister, in his response, expressed empathy with the affected workers and pledged his commitment to finding lasting solutions to their concerns. As part of immediate steps, he announced the following:
Personal intervention through formal communications to both the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Minister of Finance, aimed at fast-tracking the resolution of pressing financial concerns;
Establishment of a Ministerial Committee, headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, to interface with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to clarify issues surrounding subsistence allowances and related matters.
Keyamo reiterated the importance of industrial harmony in the aviation sector and commended the union leaders for their maturity, patriotism, and willingness to dialogue in the national interest.
The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, assured all stakeholders that tangible progress will be made before the May 13 deadline, and called for continued cooperation as it works to ensure improved welfare and working conditions for NIMET staff and all aviation personnel.
The unions had downed tools over a number of unresolved grievances relating to poor working conditions, including salary relativity with other aviation agencies, non-implementation of the 2019 consequential adjustment to the national minimum wage (affecting at least 30 omitted staff), demands for a 25/35% salary increase, 40% hardship/peculiar allowances, annual staff trainings, among others.
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