The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and its affiliated unions have postponed a planned strike indefinitely following successful negotiations with management. The strike, initially set to begin on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, was suspended after agreements were reached during discussions held in Abuja.
At a media briefing on Monday, February 3, union representatives confirmed the postponement, stating that the decision followed commitments from both national and branch union leaders, as well as NiMet management, to prioritize the welfare of workers.
The negotiations resulted in a signed agreement outlining timelines for addressing key union demands. NiMet’s Director General, Prof. Charles Anosike, assured workers that management remains committed to improving staff welfare within economic realities.
“I appreciate the collaborative efforts of union leaders. While we are not entirely done addressing all concerns, we have made significant progress, and I am pleased that the unions have agreed to suspend the strike while we continue engaging relevant authorities,” Anosike stated.
Speaking on behalf of the unions, the President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Comrade Benjamin Nnabue, emphasized that industrial action is always a last resort. He noted that while some issues were inherited, the priority remains the well-being of NiMet staff.
The discussions, observed by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, were lauded for their cooperative approach. Director of Labour, Mr. Olusoga Adebayo, praised the resolution process, emphasizing the importance of social dialogue in maintaining industrial harmony.
As part of the agreement, both parties acknowledged that miscommunication had contributed to previous tensions. They pledged to enhance consultation mechanisms to prevent future disputes and reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a positive working relationship.
With the strike now on hold, NiMet workers await further developments as management seeks necessary approvals from the federal government to address their concerns.
Meanwhile, the Unions were also wondering if the Government would keep it’s promise.
“The big question now is whether the Management can deliver on the promise the agreement holds? This question is necessary because through this agreement it can be seen easily that the remuneration issues are not exactly within the handling of the Management of NiMet, but basically in the hands of the Federal Government, through its salary payment platform, IPPIS”.
“Therefore, the workability of the agreements is largely dependent on the operators of IPPIS and all its processing agents – the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of National Planning (Budget Office) and those who work at IPPIS itBut, how did we get here? How did the Agency find itself in this unfortunate circumstance? It is now necessary to examine the genesis of the extremely poor remuneration of NiMet workers.First is the fact of the Agency’s history. From the post-colonial era where the agency was mere quasi-independent departments in the various regional governments, through the time it was a full department in the Ministry of Aviation as METS, until it settled in its present form as a full-fledged Agency in the same Ministry in 2003. What this means is that the Agency suffered severely from improper parenting.By the time NiMet arrived in the Aviation Ministry, it had lost serious ground on physical development. Therefore, its early minders were entirely engulfed with provision of modern working tolls and human capacity development, and almost completely forgot about the workers’ living conditions. Thus, NiMet remunerations suffered stunted development over the years; the reason it has been left behind by all its peers.self. So, obviously, not yet uhuru”.
The Union went ahead to explain issues that led to the present situation.
“But, how did we get here? How did the Agency find itself in this unfortunate circumstance? It is now necessary to examine the genesis of the extremely poor remuneration of NiMet workers.First is the fact of the Agency’s history. From the post-colonial era where the agency was mere quasi-independent departments in the various regional governments, through the time it was a full department in the Ministry of Aviation as METS, until it settled in its present form as a full-fledged Agency in the same Ministry in 2003. What this means is that the Agency suffered severely from improper parenting.By the time NiMet arrived in the Aviation Ministry, it had lost serious ground on physical development. Therefore, its early minders were entirely engulfed with provision of modern working tolls and human capacity development, and almost completely forgot about the workers’ living conditions. Thus, NiMet remuneration suffered stunted development over the years; the reason it has been left behind by all its peers”.