By Ada Nkong
The Nigeria Meteorological Agency,NiMet has refuted claims that all elements of the January 28th 2025 agreement between the agency and the unions have been left unattended.
In a letter signed by Nasiru Sani , Director Human Resource Management and Administration, on behalf of the Director General, NiMet says it has liaised with other relevant agencies to address the concerns raised by the unions.
The letter stated further that a 25%-35% wage award has been approved by the relevant authorities awaiting availability of funds.
See full letter below;
The General Secretary
National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE)
The General Secretary
Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and
Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE)
The Secretary-General
Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP)
Our Comrades,
RE: RESUMPTION OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION
Sequel to your letter dated 10th April, 2025 on the above subject
matter, I a m directed to acknowledge Management’s receipt of the
letter a n d to respond to the issues raised therein as follows:
I. Agreement/Communique of 28th January, 2025
It is being most unfair to management, for the Unions to allege that all
elements of the Agreement of 28th January 2025 remain agonizingly
in a b e y a n c e even when Management have h ad to relate with the
relevant government agencies to address issues raised by the Unions.
It must b e n o t e d that most of the issues that were raised were not
those that management could handle with just the rule of the thumb,
they were issues that needed the interventions of other government
agencies that management have actually related with and in most
of the cases awaiting responses or approvals.
- Negotiated Condition of Service
Management noted the Unions’ recognition that the Conditions of
Service had b e e n forwarded to the Ministry for processing. However,
Management frowned very seriously at the Unions’ “unbelief”
attitude, of thinking that it could negatively have tamper with a
document that is also beneficial to members of Management.
Properly regarded, it’s so demeaning for any to have insinuated and
suspected any foul play on such a collective document. It would
rather b e o b s e r v e d that the Director-General/ Chief Executive Officer
noted and added allowances that were not negotiated for at the
committee meetings to enrich the content of the document, which
he of course had the prerogative to do. Still on the Conditions of
Service, it is on record that three (3) Copies of this proposed
Conditions of Service were h a n d e d to o n e of the Union’s National
Executive Member for onward delivery to other Union Members as of
9th April, 2025 at about 11.00 am, in the Director, Human Resource
Management and Administration’s office. - Feedback on:
a. 25-35% w a g e award;
b. a month b a l a n c e of 2019 Minimum Wage; a n d
c. 30 names omitted from the 2019 Minimum Wage
Payment.
All of the above, paragraph 3(a – c), have gone through various
stages of actions and have been approved by the relevant authority,
in this case, the Director, Budget Office. These are now awaiting the
availability of funds for payments to b e made, that are not within the
purview of Management. It must b e noted that, Management having
pushed these matters thus far, is constrained as that is the furthest it
can go pending any further actions on the matter by the responsible
government agency.
- Salary Relativity
On the issue of Salary Relativity, the document referred to during the
Committee meeting, when it was said that the Hon. Minister had in the
past directed the adoption of the Nigerian Airspace Management
Authority (NAMA) salary structure for NiMet is yet to b e seen, neither
has it been found anywhere. Members of the Unions who were also
assigned the responsibility of sourcing for this same
document/correspondence, have also at different times been
approached and up to date, there has been no trace of such a
document anywhere. However, Management on its own, has been
on the matter with the Honourable Minister, and the feedback is
positive as the Honourable Minister is willing to do anything that will
improve the working conditions of NiMet staff. It must be noted here
that the Director General/Chief Executive had in this regard, also
written a n d signed letters to government agencies this
correspondence could b e traceable to a n d responses are being
awaited. - Continuous Staff Training
Training is a management function an d responsibility. It has never
b e e n the p l a c e of the Unions to coarse m a n a g e m e n t before it lives
up to its responsibility of training its workforce and if this, is so, then there
would not have been cases and complaints of staff not been trained
for several years hitherto. When this Management c a m e on board,
following the outcry that staff had stayed for several years without any
trainings, it b e c a m e a policy matter that staff trainings would no
longer be selective hence the directive to put in place a structured
training programme in which all staff would be trained systematically
and this commenced in the year 2024. It is tagged “continuous Staff
training” because it had been Management’s desire to completely
train all staff as at 2024 before commencing that of 2025. It would a t
this point be necessary to inform that these staff trainings have been
ongoing smoothly an d that approval has already b e e n secured for
the training of other Salary Grade Levels that are already on queue
awaiting to take their turn. The Unions’ allegation that management
is scheduling another management retreat is unfounded, untrue, and
baseless as there is no such proposal, and in any way, if management
is predisposed to a retreat, it must not be at the instance of the Unions. - The Peculiar Allowance
According to the Salaries, Income, and Wages Commission, NiMet is
not entitled to the Peculiar Allowance b e c a u s e they just approved
other allowances for it. These newly approved allowances are said to
be: Professional Allowance, Proficiency Allowance, Hazard
Allowance, and Wardrobe Allowance. - It may at this point be pertinent to note that while management
appreciated the efforts in averting any industrial crisis through the
harmonious collaboration with the Unions, it must be known that
management never relaxed its efforts towards being in line with the
collective bargaining reached in the Agreement with the unions. As
already mentioned, what was within the purview of management to
do, has already been done and those that other government
agencies has responsibility over, management have kept pursuing. - The Unions’ call for the commencement of comprehensive
mobilization seem to have been contemplated in a hurry, safe for the
oversight of not going by the rule of allowing at least seven (7) days’
notice as prescribed by known labour laws. The suddenness
expressed here, is a clear sabotage and being insensitive to
government and management’s efforts to manage and address a
historical perennial situation that h a d bedevilled the Agency, all these
past years. Again, it must be noted that this call has obvious security
implications and is an affront on the Honourable Minister, whose
concerns and efforts to continuously address the peculiar challenges
of the Agency have had no bounds and as well as an infringement
on the realization of Mr. President’s agenda on security and
development of the sector.
- It may also b e noted that the eight (8) points the unions
presented to Management as their concerns and agitations viz:
i. ili. Non-implementation of new minimum wage;
I. non-payment of Nine (9) months arrears of consequential
adjustments of the 2019 Minimum Wa g e Act;
request to comply with Ministerial Directives for the review of the
conditions of service;
iv. refusal to implement the reviewed Scheme of Service since 2019;
v. non-payment of Peculiar Allowance and Wages Award;
VI. non-payment of Hardship Allowance;
vii. improved communication channel;
viii. others which included:
a. Implementation of measures to ameliorate and mitigate the
economic challenges faced by staff;
b. Continuation of 2024 Staff General Training; and
c. Payment of outstanding arrears of thirty-six (36) months to thirty
(30) staff omitted from earlier payment.
Management had made very frank efforts to address all, absolutely
respecting the agreement reached with the Unions. The recent
threats are becoming indicative that there is more to these agitations
than what is actually known. - From the foregoing, it is obvious that management had with
great efforts attempted to address all issues raised a n d even more.
For instance, as regards the Subsistence Benefits, which actually was
a n i d e a of the Director-General/Chief Executive towards ameliorating
staff conditions, it has not only been captured in the proposed
reviewed Conditions of Service but that management has gone
ahead to secure the Honourable Minister’s approval to effect
payment. What is presently delaying the Subsistence Benefit’s
payment is the confirmation to the Permanent Secretary, that the
Agency can pay, and this had already been communicated to the
Ministry as of Wednesday 9th April, 2025. Again, to express ever good
intentions of Management, even with the paucity of funds being
experienced in the Agency, The Director-General/Chief Executive
Officer, a p p r o v e d a n d paid to all Staff, the Conditions of Service
Allowance for the quarter just last week.
- 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. - Finally, following the recent re-emergence of the resumption of
the threat of Industrial Action, Management always is open to
dialogue with a view to further emphasizing and clarifying perceived
grey areas as it intends to always uphold highly harmonious working
relationships. In view of this, Management extends its invitation to you
once again with a view to dialogue - Thank you and accept the Director-General/ Chief Executive’s
high regards, please.
r. Nasiru Sani
Director, Human Resource Management & Administration
FOR: Director General/Chief Executive Officer
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