Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) unions have suspended their strike action following a timely intervention from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The suspension of the strike will last until May 13, 2025, while the minister works to address the concerns raised by the unions.
In a statement signed by Tunde Moshood Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the minister, noted that Comrade Aba Ocheme, National Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), confirmed the decision shortly after a meeting with Minister Keyamo and the union leaders.
Ocheme acknowledged Keyamo’s sincere efforts and assured that the unions would await progress on the minister’s commitments.
“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,” Ocheme stated.
Comrade Alale Adedayo, National President of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), supported this stance, highlighting the unions’ respect for the minister’s intervention.
“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,” Adedayo said.
To confirm this development, Samuel Oluchi Uzo, the Deputy National President of NUATE, spoke to Vanguard, stating that the strike has been suspended. He added that the decision was made to allow time to see if the federal government’s promises would be fulfilled.
“Yes, I can confirm that we have suspended the strike. We had a short meeting with the minister and there we concluded to suspend it for two weeks. This is for us to monitor and see if the government will do as they have promised,”
The unions had previously downed tools due to unresolved issues concerning poor working conditions, including salary parity with other aviation agencies, unfulfilled minimum wage adjustments, and demands for salary increases and other benefits.
Minister Keyamo expressed empathy with the workers and reaffirmed his commitment to resolving the issues, acknowledging that much of the discontent stemmed from past delays.
The minister outlined several steps to address the unions’ concerns, including engaging with the President and the Minister of Finance to expedite financial matters.
He also revealed that a Ministerial Committee would be established to engage with the relevant bodies for the resolution of subsistence allowances and related issues.
Keyamo commended the unions for their patience and maturity in handling the matter and stressed that their cooperation was essential for the continued progress of the aviation sector.
He noted that the government’s priority was to maintain industrial harmony and meet the unions’ genuine concerns.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, expressed optimism about reaching a satisfactory resolution before the set deadline.
He called on all stakeholders to continue cooperating as they worked towards improving the working conditions and welfare of NiMet staff and the broader aviation community.
