NiMet Staff Disagrees Receiving 45 Months Salary Arrears 

… Gives Clarifications 

… Queries Okechukwu Nwokoro Role

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By Joseph Sunday 

Some staff of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet has disagreed with the Federal Government and the leadership of the Federal Agency over claims that it has paid 45 months outstanding salary arrears owed them since 2019, clarifying information and querying the self imposed NJC Secretary, Okechukwu Nwokoro.

Debunking the claims, some of the staff who spoke with Treasure Newspaper under the condition of anonymity described the claims which was widely reported in the Nigerian media as misleading and insensitive to the plights of the suffering workers of the Agency. 

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According to the staff (names withheld), they revealed that what was paid then was not a full salary but the increment of what they supposed to have collected during the last increment in the Country where some got as low as N2,000 for a month. 

Also, the staff urged the public to disregard the claims that 45 months outstanding salary arrears were paid, explaining that they were only owed for 36 months while NiMet is still expecting them to return 3 months back to a designated bank account they would generate. 

They added that 3 months were paid them early in the year when the hardship in the Country started. 

However, they expressed the fear that the Federal Government and the leadership of the NiMet may not want to pay them the remaining 9 months arrears since they have spread the news that they have paid for 45 months.

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Some of the aggrieved staff frowned at the role played by Comrade Okechukwu Nwokoro by taking sides with the Federal government and the leadership of the Federal Agency who over the years has been oppressing them. 

They went on to describe Nwokoro as an impostor who has been parading himself as the Secretary of the Union and working against the common interests of the workers in the Agency. 

They revealed that AUPCTRE as a Union has dissociated itself from the publication that was released by Comrade Okechukwu Nwokoro, the  self acclaimed NJAC Secretary which was widely published by media houses in the Country.

Meanwhile, in an earlier story published five days ago in major Newspapers across the Country, the Secretary of NiMet Union Joint Action Committee, Okechukwu Nwokoro corroborated the claims that 45 months salary arrears were paid. 

According to Nwokoro, he said, the unpaid arrears, which dated back to 2019, had been a source of tension between NiMet management and its staff, leading to frequent clashes with labour unions.

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Continuing, he said, earlier this year, the situation nearly escalated into industrial action, as the Unions had planned to go on strike on May 20, 2024.

However, the strike was averted at the last minute following an intervention by the House Committee on Aviation Technology and their Senate counterpart.

An agreement was reached on May 19, 2024, during a special session convened by the House Committee on Aviation Technology, led by its Chairman, Abiodun Akinlade, with NiMet management and union representatives in attendance.

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On the side of the Director-General of NiMet, Prof Charles Anosike, he expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for authorising the payment of the arrears and for demonstrating that he is a worker – friendly President. 

Anosike is his submissions also hailed the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, for the role he played as well as the Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation Technology, Abiodun Akinlade, and members of the Committee for their sacrifices and timely intervention.

“I wish to also thank the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, and the members of the committee. I thank all the others who played different roles in the process.

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“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 said.

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