Storm brews at NiMet, as workers issue 14-day ultimatum over welfare neglect

A storm is brewing within the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) as workers on Wednesday issued a 14-day ultimatum to the agency’s management, demanding immediate action on long-standing welfare issues or face an all-out nationwide industrial action.

In a strongly worded letter titled “Failure to Respond to Lawful and Reasonable Demands—14 Days Ultimatum”, unions representing NiMet workers have accused the agency’s leadership of turning a blind eye to their plight. The letter, obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, lays bare the frustrations of workers who feel ignored and undervalued.

Signed by prominent union leaders—Ocheme Abah of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Sikiru Waheed of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, and Abdul Rasaq Saidu of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals—the document is a plea for justice cloaked in barely restrained anger.

The unions painted a grim picture of neglect, claiming that NiMet’s management has failed to implement critical policies for staff welfare and ignored repeated calls for dialogue.

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“We are highly concerned that your management has inexplicably refused all entreaties from our unions to address the extremely adverse circumstances of the workers at NiMet,” the letter reads. “Despite being evidently aware of the clear backward state of NiMet’s staff welfare status in the aviation industry, your Management remains unmoved and lethargic in addressing this obvious malady.”

At the core of the unions’ demands are issues that speak to the dignity and survival of workers:

• Unpaid Arrears: Nine months’ worth of arrears under the 2019 Minimum Wage Act remain unpaid.
• Reviewed Scheme of Service: Despite being approved since 2019, the reviewed scheme of service has not been implemented.
• Unpaid Allowances: Workers have yet to receive allowances such as the 40% peculiar allowance and the hardship allowance, leaving many struggling to make ends meet.

For workers, these are not just numbers on paper—they represent sleepless nights, unpaid bills, and an overwhelming sense of being undervalued. “The workers of the Agency do not deserve the suffering that the actions and inaction of your Management continue to mete out to them,” the letter reads, resonating with a sense of desperation and determination.

Should the ultimatum expire without meaningful action, the country could face severe disruptions. NiMet’s workers are integral to providing accurate weather forecasts, which are critical for aviation, agriculture, and disaster management. A strike could ripple across industries, disrupting flights, impacting food security, and leaving millions vulnerable to unpredictable weather events.

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