Airport operations across Nigeria could experience significant disruptions from Wednesday as workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) prepare to embark on a nationwide protest over the alleged non-remittance of statutory revenue by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
The planned industrial action was announced by the NiMet Unions Joint Action Committee, which accused NAMA of failing to remit NiMet’s statutory 10 percent share of en-route and overflight charges.
In a notice issued to members, the unions directed staff to begin a peaceful nationwide protest from 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday at all NiMet offices across the country.
The notice, jointly signed by the secretaries of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), alleged that NAMA ignored a directive issued by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
According to the unions, the minister had instructed NAMA to remit the outstanding funds to NiMet within 48 hours, but the agency allegedly failed to comply.
“You may recall that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development intervened to proffer a lasting solution due to the persistent failure of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency to remit 10 per cent of en-route and overflight charges to NiMet. Even after the minister’s intervention directing NAMA to pay NiMet within 48 hours, NAMA management did not honour the directive,” the notice stated.
The unions further claimed that the failure to release the funds has negatively affected NiMet’s operations and the welfare of its employees.
“This deliberate act from NAMA has paralysed operational activities within the aerodrome and staff welfare,” the notice added.
The decision to proceed with the protest followed a Joint Union Congress meeting held on June 15, where members resolved to escalate the dispute if the outstanding payments were not made within one week.
According to the unions, one of the resolutions reached at the meeting was to officially notify the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development that NAMA had failed to comply with his directive.
They maintained that workers had exhausted all avenues for dialogue and would go ahead with the planned nationwide demonstration if the outstanding remittances remained unpaid.
Although the unions described the action as peaceful, the protest could have a major impact on flight operations across Nigeria, as NiMet provides weather forecasts and meteorological information that are critical for aircraft dispatch, take-off, and landing.
The workers also confirmed that copies of the protest notice had been sent to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet.
Efforts to obtain NAMA’s response were unsuccessful, as the agency’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Musa, did not respond to calls or text messages before this report was filed.
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