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JUST IN: Labour Unions In NiMet Suspend Planned Strike As Reps Intervene

Published

4 months ago

May 20, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

…give 4 weeks to pay all arrears, grant other requests

By Gloria Ikibah

Labour Unions in the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) have suspended the planned strike scheduled to commence on Monday 20th May, 2024.

This was after an agreement and resolution reached on Sunday, 19th May, 2024, at a special interactive session organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation and Technology.

Naijablitznews.com reports that the meeting which lasted for about 9 hours started by 2pm lasted till 9: 35.pm.

Rep. Abiodun Akinlade Ishaq who read the communique to suspend the planned industrial action at the end of the interactive Session with the NiMET management and it’s labour Unions, stated that within four weeks the issues raised by NiMeT Labour Unions will be resolved and outstanding areas will be paid.

The communique reads: “Today 19th May 2024, the House of representatives committee on Aviation technology met with labour union and management team of Nigerian Metrological Agency, Abuja led by it’s Director General, Professor Charles Anosike to discuss the proposed industrial strike by the NiMET staff on the failure of government to pay forty five months areas of minimum wage consequential adjustmen.

“After more than eight hours Meeting, deliberation, discussion, the following resolutions were reached:

“That NiMET will by tomorrow, Monday 20th set up a committee on the review of conditions of service of NiMET staff. This committee will draw two members from the labour union.

“Two, that the house of representatives committee on Aviation technology will set up Sub-committee to be chaired by the deputy chairman, house Committee on technology to liase with the ministry of finance, budget Office, IPPIS and other relevant agencies to ensure the prompt payment of areas of NiMeT staff.

“Three, that the NiMeT staff salary scale be reviewed by the national income salary and wages commission.

“That within four weeks of this meeting this matter will be resolved with the payment by paying the outstanding areas to the NiMET staff.

“That NiMeT staff should suspend planned strike action for now pending the payment of the areas between now and four weeks.

“And that the labour union has agreed to work in harmonies with the DG and management of NiMeT in carrying out their day to day activities.

“That this committee thanks the management of the NiMeT for all the efforts they have taken to ensure that the welfare of NiMeT staff are taken care. This committee also appreciates and salute the efforts of the various Union that have been part of this meeting for over 9 hours. So, we thank you all, God bless you”.

Earlier in his remarks, the Committee Chairman, said the parliament has a duty to intervene on the impending strike by the labour unions in NiMeT to provide solution and maintain peace in the country.

“we have all gathered here today to look at the situation and the way out on the impending crisis that may likely going to happen tomorrow so ( Monday). We don’t have any country to call our home than Nigeria. Because if there is peace in our working place, there will be peace in our homes.

“That’s why the parliament has decided to intervene and see how we can provide a solution. To find a win- win solution to the crisis. We don’t see it as a crisis, we see it as family matter. We don’t need to pretend that there is a tension in the country. Why the government is trying to put a lot of things in place, the masses are suffering and they are crying and crying to us and their crying reach our ears.

“And we need to ensure that we don’t add to the already tension in the country. And that’s why we have called this meeting. The meeting was called at the instance of the media reports that the Union had planned to go on strike on Monday based on the outstanding issues that concern the welfare of the NiMeT staff. It was based on the that we reacted swiftly by sending message to the Union that if we could meet today ( Sunday) to prevent tomorrow ( Monday ) strike”.

Other members of the committee took turn to make comments and appealed that the aggrieved Union take easy with government, even as they assured that the issues of concern will be looked into within the grace period as agreed.

In his response, the Secretary General, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees ( AUPCTRE), Comrade Sikiru Waheed who spoke on behalf of the Unions ( ANAP, NUATE and SSASGOG) at the meeting commended the committee for their timely intervention.

He said “Nobody is interested in disturbing the peace at the working place if the right thing is done. This issue has lingered for about four years now. And honestly speaking, Nimet staff have been one of the very patient staff among Nigerians workere I have ever seen.

“Because several times there will be agitations. We would talk to them. They will just respect us and then we would move on. That’s why the thing has lingered on up to forty five months unpaid consequential adjustment of salary. In Nigeria’, we all go to same market to purchase the same commodity, the same food.

“But this group of people have been denied their consequential adjustment of salary for this lengthy period. We have been on this case as I told. We have had series of meetings. They have formed committees for us to look at how this thing will be done. At a time, we needed to pity the management of NiMET. We felt it not their fault. We felt that we should come in to see what we can do jointly.

“We have gone to that level, committees were formed and met with the board all those things. At a time, the issue was on a serious burner. We were invited by then honourable minister of labour, Dr Chris Ngige February 7th 2022 and it was clear in that meeting that the payment will be made from wide service vote. That we should go and rest that they will start paying. And we told the management of NiMET to pursue that issue as at that time.

“Expectedly, if there are issues affecting workers in your environment, you should have called the Union that are there to jointly to see what you can do to solve the problem but it has not happened. Even the main issue May Day and those simple things that should be done ordinarily by management, were not done, were not given to the management of the NiMET Union. The management hasn’t been labour friendly since they came on board.

“The main issue now is 45 unpaid consequential adjustment salary.As at the time we wanted to go on strike early this year, they told us that they were going to pay. Since they have an IGR which can take care of the payment. As at that time, they said that may be they only needed an approval from the ministry. So, based on that,we also relaxed on the matter.

“And what they did was to pay only three months by reducing it from forty five to forty two months and they stopped. And since that time, all appeals, every other things we have been talking to them have failed. As it is now, the workers of NiMET have been pushed to the wall. The workers are seriously agitated. We as leaders, we know the amount of pelting, appeals and other things that we have been doing to them to maintain peace as at now.Despite all these, we are not even appreciated with what we are doing. So, the issue of protest or strike tomorrow (Monday) is not something we are just doing now. We have been done before, we have been trying to do it but there have been intervention but all interventions have failed.

“Because they would give promise and that promise has never been fulfilled. It has always been this type of approach we have been having all of the years. Any time we are trying to go on strike, we will be invited for a discussion to stop the strike. We have witnessed that not once, twice or thrice. And they once beaten, twice shy. Despite all the meetings nothing has really happened.if our demands are met, there is no need to go on strike.We have three major demands: the outstanding forty two arrears of consequential adjustment of salary should be fully liquidated. We are not going to take stories now. We are not happy with the operation of funny salary structure for NiMET called CONIMET.

“I must tell you sincerely that all in the aviation industry in Nigeria. NiMET is the poorest paid workers in the whole of aviation industry. The fact can be checked. And if you look at the function we perform now, it is so enormous. For flight to go, they need to get weather reports from NiMET other information for them to fly. That’s how important our service is in the aviation industry. NiMET workers are not even enjoying recent thirty five percent increment. They will pay to others, they will not pay us. We don’t want CONIMET salary structure. It is only unique to NiMET. It is an impediment to the NiMET workers”.

“The Union wants better condition of service.Our condition of service is outdated and obsolete. As a result of this, the Union wants committee to be set up immediately to discuss the issues of condition of service of NiMET workers”.

On his part, the Director General, NiMeT, Professor Charles Anosike who appreciated the committee chairman and the members for preventing the planned strike, said the management was doing its best to ensure the payment of the outstanding areas of the NiMET staff saying the importance of the workforce can not be over emphasized.

“Prof. Anosike explained “Immediately we came in January there was a threat of strike,and importantly, I was a director in NiMET for two years before being appointed as DG. In the course of that two year, I never attended any meeting. I don’t know anything about this issue of forty five months. I am not saying it’s Union’s fault. But it’s something that has been lingering for four years. During my time as a director, I never sat in any meeting about this issue.

“When we resumed office, because entire management is new, within one month, there was a threat of strike. We immediately swung into action, I was surprised the secretary said there was no meeting. We called the meeting. It was a very productive management meeting between January and March. Entire management and directors are aware of this issue. All of us are working together on this issue. No one can claim ignorance of this forty five months unpaid consequential adjustment salary and efforts we have been making.

“Within four months, the entire management has seen the effects of what this management has been doing and I am very confident that the money will be paid. And another point to note is that it is not a NiMet problem, to say that NiMeT will pay from IGR, it like boxing NiMeT management and this can put us in trouble. It is a federal government issue and we the management have to lead because it’s the course of our workforce. It is a terrible thing to happen.

“We all had a meeting and we all resolved and signed agreements. There was a different between resolution and agreements.They were trying to box me into agreements and I said no, I am new here. That I have to interact with relevant stakeholders with NiMeT staff. That we have to make that process transparent. That was actually the objective of that meeting”.

While speaking on the effects taken so far to secure the payment of the NiMET workers, the Director of Finance and Administration NiMET, Akoji Yusuf said the outstanding four years salary adjustment for forty five months is totalling eight hundred and seventeen million, two hundred eighty seven thousand, one hundred and sixty four naira (N817,287,164,81).

He said : “This has been approved, the management wrote through the ministry, budget Office, and there was a presidential committee on salary which was chaired by minister of finance and this request was approved that this amount should be paid. Based on that approval we swang into action to follow up and ensure that this money is being paid.

“Upon our resumption January this, we got to know that the Union wanted to go on strike. When we investigated, we found out that it was as a result of something less. The DG and myself, Director of HR alongside the GM budget. The four have been on ground before we came. And we have been trying to see how it is going to be resolved. We went back to the drawing board. We also went to the ministry of labour who advised us that we should laise with the budget office and the IPPIS to see how we can resolved it. That is because the DG told us that the workforce is his priority and to ensure that this is resolved. That’s where we are”.

News

SEE 20 billionaires supporting Trump and Kamala in the race for The White House

Published

2 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

The race for the United States Presidency has reached a fever pitch. As the US presidential election draws close, the financial backing of billionaires has become a defining factor in the campaigns of leading candidates.

Donald Trump, the Republican party candidate and Kamala Harris, who took the baton from President Biden for the Democratic party, continue to rally the support of some of America’s wealthiest, drawing powerful endorsements from influential figures in the country seeking to shape its future.

Elections are run with money, and political parties and their candidates require a lot of it to run successful campaigns. This process is supported by the high and mighty who donate good money towards the government they wish to see in power. These funds cover a range of expenses, including advertising, staffing, travel, and organising events.

From business partners to friends, acquaintances and wealthy individuals who want to see the tide turn in their favour, here are 20 billionaires supporting Trump and Kamala as the next US President.

Billionaires supporting Donald Trump
1. Elon Musk
Perhaps being Donald Trump’s biggest fan on X, which he now owns, the world’s richest man Elon Musk could also be Trump’s loudest supporter. In July, the founder worth, $250.8 billion announced plans to commit around $45 million a month to a new super political-action committee, called America PAC, backing former President Donald Trump’s presidential run.

2. Linda McMahon
Linda McMahon is the wife of Vince McMahon, the former CEO of WWE. McMahon, who is currently worth $3.1 billion had made up to $16 million in donations to Trump groups to support his election campaign. She chairs the pro-Trump nonprofit America First Policy Institute, serving on the board of Truth Social’s parent company, Trump Media and Technology Group.

3. Diane Hendricks
“I know how hard it is to build a company from nothing,” she said. “And we need a president who understands that too,” Diane Hendricks, called America’s richest self-made woman, said on stage at the Republican National Convention in her home state of Wisconsin last month. Forbes says that the $20.9 billion-worth entrepreneur has already pumped $6 million into groups that support him.

4. Andrew Beal
American banker and businessman, Andrew Beal gave more than $4 million to Trump committees and other GOP groups in 2020. The $12.2 billion- valued investor is now betting on Trump again, putting $1.8 million behind Trump’s 2024 ticket.

5. Kelcy Warren
Kelcy Warren, the billionaire in energy has been fond of Trump. Warren had given $100,000 to help elect him in 2016, then dropped more than $11 million in 2020. This time around, he has given about $6 million to support Trump’s campaign. Warren’s Energy Transfer is best known for the Dakota Access Pipeline, which Trump helped expedite in one of his first acts in office.

6. Elizabeth Uihlein & Richard Uihlein
Liz and Dick Uihlein are among the Republican party’s most generous donors, giving tens of millions per cycle. The couple have donated $5 million to trump groups according to Forbes. In 2021, the duo celebrated Trump’s “America First” trade policies and called out publicly-held companies for being “too concerned about their stock share price.”

7. Phil Ruffin
Ruffin is a significant Donald Trump donor, as well as his business partner and close friend. His donations to Trump’s PACs and committees have reached $3.3 million so far this cycle, surpassing his combined donations from the last two elections.

8. Geoffrey Palmer
Geoffrey Palmer is one of the largest apartment developers in Los Angeles, with nearly 13,000 units in the greater L.A. metro area. Palmer is a major financial backer of former president Donald Trump, donating some $16 million to his campaigns and PACs from 2016 to 2022. This year, he’s up to $3 million. The developer is worth $3.1 billion.

9. J.Joe.Ricketts
Ricketts, whose family owns the Chicago Cubs, poured $3 million into a Republican anti-Trump group back in 2016 with his wife. They have given a combined $2 million to Trump groups so far this time around, betting against Kamala.

10. Jimmy John Liautaud
Since Jimmy John sold the majority of his business to a private equity firm, he has gotten more involved in politics, as has his wife Leslie. She backed Trump in 2016 and 2020 and John joined her this year, giving $2.8 million to Trump groups so far.

Billionaires supporting Kamala Harris
1. Mark Cuban
The billionaire Shark Tank star and former principal owner of the Dallas Mavericks is one of the Democrats’ most valuable supporters. Valued at US$5.4 billion according to Forbes, Cuban, who is known to have attended a Joe Biden fundraiser, has retweeted various posts about Harris’ campaign, and signed the “VCs for Kamala” pledge.

2. Reid Hoffman
LinkedIn co-founder, Reid Hoffman has been a long-time Democratic donor and wasted no time backing Harris after Biden dropped. In January, he poured $2 million into a super political action committee (PAC) for Biden’s campaign. The former CEO, worth $2.5 billion plans to open a fundraiser for Harris and has been reported to push Netflix chairman Reed Hastings to donate US$7 million to a PAC supporting the current Vice President.

3. Vinod Khosla
Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures, and OpenAI investor has backed Harris to win the elections in November following the withdrawal of President Biden, who he hosted a fundraiser for in May. Worth $7.2 billion per Forbes, the entrepreneur has donated to Super PACs in support of Harris.

4. Chris Sacca
Chris Sacca made early bets investing in Twitter and Uber through his venture capital firm Lowercase Capital. Now he’s making bets of Kamala Harris to be the next US president after donating to Biden’s campaign before he dropped out. Sacca noted that he and his partner Clay Dumas have “invested millions of dollars and countless hours helping build organisations and companies that we think have the best shot at giving blue candidates an edge in a game that is rigged against them.”

5. Eric Schmidt
Worth $22.5 billion per Forbes, the former CEO of Alphabet has given $1.6 million to Future Forward PAC, a Democratic super PAC, and $1.16 million to the Biden Victory Fund.

6. Dustin Moskovitz
Moskovitz, who helped to launch Facebook (now Meta Platforms) in 2004, gave up to $929,600 to the Biden Victory Fund before he dropped out of the race. Now, he has directed his attention to Kamala who goes against the same opponent, Trump.

News

IG Orders Redeployment Of FCT, Rivers, Delta CPs

Published

3 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Naijablitznews

By Mario Deepromoter

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed the redeployment of the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, to FCT command.

The shake-up also affects the Delta State Police Command, with CP Abaniwonda Olufemi being reassigned to the Rivers State Command.

In his place, CP Peter Opara who was recently posted to the FCT command, has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Police for Delta State.

The Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Thursday, said the redeployment was to ensure effective policing in the affected states.

He said, “The Inspector-General of Police in an effort to strategically emplace a Police Force well efficient for effective policing, has ordered the immediate redeployment of the Commissioners of Police of Rivers State Command, Delta State Command, and the Federal Capital territory.

“The order covers the redeployment of the CP Rivers State Command, CP Olatunji Disu as the new CP FCT; CP Delta State Command, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi as the new CP Rivers State Command and CP FCT, CP Peter Opara as the new CP Delta State.”

Adejobi also said the IG, in accordance with the approval of the Police Service Commission, has deployed four CPs to Lagos, Abia, Ebonyi, and Akwa-Ibom States.

He said, “In addition, following the approval of the Police Service Commission, the Inspector-General of Police has also deployed four CPs as Commissioners of Police for Abia, Lagos, Ebonyi, and Akwa-Ibom State Commands.

“The deployment includes the posting of CP Danladi Nda to Abia State Command, CP Olanrewaju Ishola Olawale to Lagos State Command, CP Anthonia Adaku Uche-Anya, FDC to Ebonyi State Command and CP Festus Eribo to Akwa-Ibom State Command.

“The posting of these strategic managers reflects the mission of the Inspector-General of Police to strategically reposition the Police Force and ensure maximum utilization of human resources available to the Force. “

He stated that the IG urged the CPs to be innovative and ensure personnel are diligent in their duties.

Adejobi said, “The IGP has, however, urged the new CPs of State Commands to ensure diligence in the discharge of their lawful duties and adopt innovations that could mitigate security challenges in their respective areas of responsibility. He further encouraged them to key into the police reform plans, which will help the progress of the Nigeria Police Force and the growth of the country in general.”

News

Credible Intel Indicates Tinubu’s Defence Minister Matawalle Involved in Banditry – Zamfara Gov Alleges

Published

3 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has made a startling disclosure, alleging Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Bello Matawalle, of involvement in banditry in the North-West region.

Speaking during an interview on TVC’s Politics Tonight on Wednesday night, Lawal cited credible information suggesting that his predecessor, Matawalle, played a significant role in the ongoing security crisis.

From all the information we’re getting, my predecessor was fully involved in some of this banditry issue,” Lawal stated. His comments come as northern Nigeria continues to grapple with relentless bandit attacks, particularly in Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina states. This is not the first time such allegations have been raised against Matawalle. In July, notorious bandit leader Kachallah Bello Turji had made similar accusations, claiming that the former Zamfara governor had been supporting terrorism in the region. Turji, in a video statement, maintained that Matawalle was involved in the rising wave of violence, an allegation that stirred significant controversy. However, Matawalle has consistently denied these claims. His media consultant, Deyemi Saka, labelled the accusations as unfounded and baseless, dismissing them as attempts to tarnish the minister’s reputation. Despite this, Turji and now Governor Lawal remain firm in their assertions, keeping the spotlight on Matawalle’s alleged connection to the banditry crisis.

The accusation against a high-ranking government official comes at a time when northern Nigeria is plagued by severe security challenges, with banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism escalating in various states. The federal government’s response to these claims and the overall situation remains to be seen.