Staff members at the Nigeria Meteorological Agency say seasonal climate prediction team members have been working without pay in the last six months, an experience they claim is the first in the agency’s history.
Aggrieved workers who exclusively spoke with The PUNCH on Monday said workers have been impoverished under the current Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Prof Charles Anosike, as they continue to work angrily.
A source described the situation as dangerous for Nigerians, especially the aviation sector.
These sources, who refused to give their names to avoid reprimand or victimisation, stressed that staffers have continued to lament harsh working conditions and, in a new development, non-payment of salary in the last six months.
The unions have now issued a stern warning to the agency, threatening to resume a previously suspended strike over the agency’s alleged failure to keep to their bargaining agreement signed in January this year with the workers.
Central to the unions’ renewed grievances is what they described as the management’s failure to fulfil its commitment to negotiate and implement workers’ allowance before the end of February 2025.
In a letter, the unions itemised several unresolved issues from the January agreement, including the suspected withholding of the negotiated conditions of service document, which has reportedly been sent to the ministry but not shared with union signatories.
“We have reason to suspect foul play as the management, despite persistent requests, has refused to release copies of the document due to our unions’ signatories to the same document,” their letter partly read.
The Union of Air Transport Employees, the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical, and Recreational Services Employees all expressed disappointment in NiMet’s management, accusing it of breaching the terms of an agreement reached on January 28, 2025.
The workers exclusively told The PUNCH that activities at NiMet are now being run by consultants despite the attendance of the substantive workers, which the workers described as an avenue to loot the agency’s funds.
They also condemned the leadership style of the managing director, saying, “He will send people on assignment without DTA; we lost two staff already in a road accident.”
One of the vocal voices who spoke with our correspondent said, ” It’s now worse in Nimet. Do you know that as of today, the SCP technical team hasn’t been paid for over six months, the first time in the history of NiMet? Now, everything is being done by consultants, just to loot money from the agency.
“The management led by Anosike is the worst ever; he will send people to assignments without DTA, and we lost two staff already through a road accident. Nimet staff are impoverished and bewitched; a dark cloud is hovering around Nimet.”
In response to the workers’ allegations, the Director of Human Resource Management and Administration, Nasiru Sani, dismissed their claim, adding that it was unfair to say the management breached the agreement it entered into in January.
Sani added that the management had related with concerned agencies of government to address issues signed against in the January 28 meeting.
He said, “It is being most unfair to management for the unions to allege that all elements of the agreement of 28th January 2025 remain agonisingly in abeyance even when management have had to relate with the relevant government agencies to address issues raised by the unions.
“It must be noted that most of the issues that were raised were not those that management could handle with just the rule of thumb; they were issues that needed the interventions of other government agencies that management has actually related with and, in most of the cases, were awaiting responses or approvals.”
While assuring that the management had made frank efforts to ensure the union’s eight demands were met, he added that the body has also secured the approval of Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for the agency to increase the debt recovery it receives from the Nigeria Air Management Authority, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria to better resolve the demands of the workers.
His words, “Worth mentioning is the fact that, towards the implementation and facilitation of all these commitments, management has pursued and secured approval from the Honourable Minister for an upward review of the Cost Recovery (IGR) that the Agency receives from NAMA, NCAA, and FAAN to enable the Agency to improve on the welfare of the entire staff.”
