Employees at the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) are protesting the non-payment of their salaries for the past six months, a situation they say is a first in the agency’s history.
Members of the seasonal climate prediction team, in particular, have been left without pay during this period, creating significant hardship for them.
In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Monday, workers expressed their frustration, blaming NiMet’s current Director-General/CEO, Prof. Charles Anosike, for their dire financial state. They claim that under his leadership, staff members have been left impoverished, while their work continues without adequate compensation.
One source, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, warned that the ongoing situation could have serious consequences, especially for the nation’s aviation industry.
Staff members, who have long complained about difficult working conditions, are now also grappling with the issue of unpaid salaries.
In response, unions representing NiMet workers have issued a stern warning, threatening to resume a strike that had been suspended in the past due to unfulfilled promises made by the agency’s management in January.
At the heart of the unions’ grievances is the management’s failure to address issues related to workers’ allowances, which were to be negotiated and implemented by February 2025 as part of an agreement signed earlier this year.
In a formal letter, the unions expressed concerns about the management’s failure to release the negotiated conditions of service document.
Although the document was allegedly submitted to the ministry, the unions claim it has not been shared with them, even though they were signatories to the agreement.
The Union of Air Transport Employees, the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical, and Recreational Services Employees have all condemned NiMet’s management for failing to uphold the terms of the agreement made on January 28, 2025.
According to workers, consultants have increasingly taken over the agency’s operations, despite the presence of regular staff, which they believe is an attempt to misappropriate funds from the agency.
“The situation at NiMet has become unbearable,” one worker explained. “The SCP technical team hasn’t been paid in six months. Consultants are now running things, all while the agency’s resources are being misused. Under Anosike’s leadership, this has been the worst time for us. Staff members are sent on assignments without DTA, and we’ve tragically lost two colleagues in a road accident. The agency has left us in poverty.”
Responding to the workers’ concerns, Nasiru Sani, the Director of Human Resource Management and Administration at NiMet, refuted the allegations, asserting that the management had been working to address the issues outlined in the January agreement.
He explained that several of the concerns raised by the unions required intervention from other government agencies, and NiMet had been in communication with these agencies to resolve the matters.
“It’s unjust to claim that we have made no progress,” Sani stated. “Many of the issues raised are beyond our direct control and require approval from other government bodies, with whom we have been in regular contact to resolve these issues.”
Sani also assured that the management had obtained approval from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to enhance debt recovery from the Nigeria Air Management Authority, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, which would help address the workers’ demands.