Flight operations at Lagos, Abuja, and Kano airports were disrupted on Wednesday as Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) workers began an indefinite strike, okay.ng reports.
At Lagos airport, XEJET, Aero Contractors, and Ibom Air operated normally, but Air Peace suspended all flights due to lack of hazardous weather reports necessary for safe landings. Air Peace’s Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, said, “Due to the ongoing NiMet strike and the unavailability of CNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings, Air Peace has suspended all flight operations nationwide until the strike is over. Your safety is our top priority”.
The strike started at 7:00 am Wednesday at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with NiMet staff picketing and some spending the night at agency premises to enforce a total shutdown. At Kano airport, many passengers were stranded as flights were delayed or canceled. An anonymous airport staff explained, “As you know, flights are determined by weather, and NiMet is the agency providing weather information to pilots. So, though some flight operations are still ongoing, the protest has affected many flights”.
The protesting unions accuse NiMet management of failing to implement the new national minimum wage, withholding allowances, and neglecting training programs. Timothy Meshelia, Northwest Zonal Chairman of the Amalgamated Union, stated, “The association has given the management one month to implement the new minimum wage or face industrial action”.
NiMet management expressed frustration at the strike, noting that many demands have been addressed or are in progress. A senior official said, “It is surprising that the unions resorted to strike action because the unions themselves recently wrote and thanked management for its labour-friendly policies. This makes you wonder if there are other motives or if there are people bent on sabotaging management”.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has scheduled a meeting with the unions today, Thursday, to resolve the crisis. NiMet remains hopeful the unions will “listen to reason. No one bites off his nose to spite his face”.
