By Chinelo Obogo
Relief came the way of air travelers yesterday as workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) called off an indefinite strike following the federal government’s intervention.
The industrial action, caused by a legion of unmet labour demands, commenced on Tuesday.
It forced Air Peace, the largest local carrier, to ground its domestic flights across the country, though other domestic airlines—United Nigeria Airlines, Arik Air, Ibom Air, Rano Air, ValueJet, and UMZA—operated flights from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to other states across the country on Thursday morning.
The spokesperson for Arik Air, Mr. Ola Banji, told Daily Sun that their operations were not affected, as they have other means of getting weather forecasts.
Meanwhile, United Nigeria Airlines said on Thursday that while NiMet provides essential meteorological support to the aviation sector, their operations continued through the deployment of alternative and internationally recognised weather data sources. These include real-time satellite monitoring, global aviation meteorology systems, pilot weather reports, and coordination with air traffic control services.
NiMet’s workers were seen early on Tuesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, chanting slogans such as “No weather, no flights” and “Fly at your own risk.”
The industrial action followed the breakdown of talks between labour unions and NiMet’s management. In a letter signed on Monday by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical, and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), the workers accused NiMet of refusing to negotiate or implement agreed financial allowances, including wage awards, peculiar allowances, and outstanding payments from the 2019 minimum wage.
They also alleged that the agency’s management withheld important documents, ignored requests to include omitted staff in past payments, and neglected key training programs in favour of executive retreats.
The unions stated that NiMet’s failure to meet their demands left them with no choice but to withdraw all services indefinitely, effective April 22, until further notice.
But after a meeting with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, in Abuja on Thursday, the strike was called off.