The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Mr Festus Keyamo, has set up ministerial committee to address issues relating to the welfare of staff of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
Spokesman for the minister, Mr Tunde Moshood said Keyamo announced this at a meeting he held with the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and other labour unions that backed the workers’ strike which was called off at yesterday.
Moshood also said the strike was suspended until May 13, 2025, pending the outcome of the minister’s intervention on the issues raised by the workers.
He said the committee is headed by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, would interface with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the federal ministry of labour and employment to clarify issues surrounding subsistence allowances and related matters.
He said minister expressed empathy with the affected workers and pledged his commitment to finding lasting solutions to their concerns.
As part of immediate steps the minister said he would communicate to President Bola Tinubu and the minister of finance to fast-track the resolution of pressing financial concerns.
He 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.
In his remarks, Kana assured 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 statement quoted the national secretary of NUATE, Mr Aba Ocheme as saying: “We have resolved to suspend the ongoing strike till May 13, 2025, in recognition of the minister’s timely and sincere intervention. We await the progress of the actions he has committed to take.”
Similarly, the national president of ANAP, Mr Alale Adedayo said: “As a mark of respect for the minister’s intervention and assurance, we have decided to temporarily call off the strike while the process of resolution is ongoing.”
Recall that the unions went on strike over a number of unresolved grievances relating to poor working conditions, salary relativity with other aviation agencies, non-implementation of the 2019 consequential adjustment to the national minimum wage (affecting at least 30 omitted staff), demand for a 25/35% salary increase, 40% hardship/peculiar allowances, and annual staff trainings, among others.
