Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo has met with the Union of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) over its members’ strike.
The strike disrupted flights in most airports.
The unions embarked on the work boycott to demand better working conditions, including salary relativity with other aviation agencies, non-implementation of the 2019 consequential adjustment to the national minimum wage (affecting at least 30 omitted staff), 25/35 per cent salary increase, 40 per cent hardship/peculiar allowances, annual staff training, among others.
On salary relativity, Keyamo said he would write to the President to seek his approval for the implementation of the new salary.
He also promised to begin immediate payment of minimum wage and to liaise with the Finance Ministry and other relevant agencies to address their demands.
The minister said: “We have looked at all the issues that led our comrades to down tools in our meteorological departments, and we discovered that there was not much disagreement on some of the key issues.
‘’Some were issues of implementation and maybe miscommunication between us and our brother comrades here.
“On the issue of salary relativity with other agencies, we have since agreed on this. I was the one in our last stakeholders meeting in Lagos who agreed that the salaries of NiMet, in particular, were atrocious. It was not on par with other aviation agencies. And it was only natural that their patience would run very thin.’’
He commended the NiMet workers for their patience and resilience.
At the meeting, NiMet workers announce the suspension of the strike till May 13.
The Minister also disclosed that he has directed that immediate payment of subsistence allowance to all NiMet staff members across the country.
On the alleged selective training of workers, Keyamo said the parties agreed that a committee would look into the complaints of preferential treatment of workers who are sent for training.
National President of the Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP), Alale Adedayo, said: “As a mark of respect for the minister and assurance, we have decided to temporarily call off the strike while the process of resolution is ongoing.”
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Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas, Reps Committee meet today
The rescheduled between of Rivers State Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete-Ibas with members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Rivers Oversight will hold today, it was confirmed last night.
Two previous meetings scheduled with the Prof Julius Ihonvbere-led panel did not hold. Ihonvbere is House Leader.
The Committee, set up by the Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, has the objective of working towards resolving the political crisis in Rivers State within the shortest possible time.
Vice Admiral Ibas was billed to meet the Committee on April 17, but the meeting was cancelled following a request from the administrator for a rescheduled session, a statement by House spokesman Akin Rotimi, said.
The meeting which was rescheduled for yesterday will now hold today by 10am at the House of Representatives Wing of the National Assembly.
