FG pays NiMet workers’ 45-month minimum wage backlog

• Published On: 13 August 2024 at 19:49

The Federal Government has paid the outstanding 45-month minimum wage arrears owed to Nigerian Meteorological Agency employees.

According to The Punch, Okechukwu Nwokoro, Secretary of the NiMet Union Joint Action Committee, made the announcement in a statement issued on Monday.

The unpaid arrears, which date back to 2019, had created tension between NiMet management and its employees, resulting in frequent disputes with the labour union.

Earlier this year, the situation was on the verge of escalating into industrial action, with unions preparing to downsize on May 20, 2024.

However, the strike was averted at the last minute thanks to an intervention from the House Committee on Aviation Technology and its Senate counterpart.

An agreement was reached on May 19, 2024, during a special session called by the House Committee on Aviation Technology, chaired by Abiodun Akinlade, with NiMet management and union officials in attendance.

Prof Charles Anosike, Director-General of NiMet, thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving the payment of the arrears.

"Mr. President has demonstrated once more that he is a worker-friendly President. The unpaid 45-month wage arrears predate this administration, but the President has cleared the outstanding balance.

"I'd like to thank the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, for his contributions. Abiodun Akinlade, Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation Technology, as well as Committee members, for their sacrifices and timely intervention.

"I'd also like to thank the chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, and the committee members. I'd like to thank everyone who contributed to the process.

"We expect that staff and the unions will show Mr President appreciation by working hard and staying focused to ensure that NiMet continues to achieve its mandate," Anosike informed the audience.

The NiMet staff, represented by the NiMet Unions Joint Action Committee, thanked Tinubu, Keyamo, and other government officials for the payment.

The unions expressed their appreciation for the collective action taken to ensure the payment of the outstanding minimum wage arrears owed to NiMet employees from 2019 to 2022.

It continued: "This significant action has greatly alleviated the financial challenges faced by our workforce and has renewed our hope and commitment to serving the nation with excellence."