Air Peace has stopped all its flights nationwide because workers at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), who provide crucial weather information, are on strike due to issues with their welfare. This strike has shut down weather centers at airports and stopped all NiMET services across the country since Wednesday.
The ongoing two-day strike is causing disruptions for travelers with local flights scheduled at airports such as Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, leaving many stranded.
Air Peace informed its passengers that the airline had decided not to fly because of safety concerns.
In a video obtained by Channels Television on Wednesday, the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, was heard instructing the cancellation of all flights across the country.
Onyema was heard telling one of his managers over the phone in a firm tone that if NiMET hasn’t called off the strike, all Air Peace flights should be canceled immediately. He emphasized that the lives of people and the safety of their equipment and crew are the top priority.
He further stated that he doesn’t care if other airlines are flying and that all Air Peace flights nationwide should be suspended immediately until the strike is over, prioritizing safety due to the widespread thunderstorms and the fact that NiMET, which is supposed to provide necessary weather information, is on strike.
Reports indicated that at the Lagos airport on Wednesday, XEJET, Aero Contractors, and Ibom Air operated as scheduled, while Air Peace did not.
In a statement posted on their X (formerly Twitter) account, Air Peace announced that they had to suspend their operations due to the ongoing strike by NiMET staff.
The statement, signed by the airline’s Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, explained that due to the NiMET strike and the unavailability of CNH (hazardous weather) reports needed for safe landings, Air Peace has suspended all flight operations nationwide until the strike ends.
The airline assured that their passengers’ safety is their main concern, and they appreciate their understanding, promising to provide updates as the situation changes.
To address this issue, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called for a meeting with the protesting NiMET union members.
This meeting is scheduled to take place today, Thursday.
NiMet workers initiated the shutdown of weather centers at airports and the withdrawal of all meteorological services nationwide on Wednesday to protest their welfare conditions.
The strike officially commenced at 7:00 AM on Wednesday, with NiMet staff and union members protesting at airport premises with placards, announcing the cessation of their services.
Speaking to reporters at the airport, a union member named Mr. John explained that the situation for NiMet workers is dire, with very low welfare, salary packages, and overall conditions compared to their counterparts in sister agencies. He pointed out that a management staff member at NiMet earns N470,000, while someone in a similar position at a sister agency earns about N1.2 million.
He added that NiMet workers do not receive any of the salary increments made by the federal government, despite providing more critical services than even their sister agency. He lamented that their poor welfare package is insufficient to cover basic needs like transportation, rent, or children’s school fees.
Mr. John emphasized that NiMet provides essential services such as agro-meteorology, marine, and transportation information for all industries, yet their welfare remains inadequate, urging the government to address their situation.
Regarding the impact on airlines, the secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, Paul Ogohi, criticized the behavior of some domestic airlines while also highlighting the strain the current system puts on NiMet staff.
He stated that other international airlines have grounded their operations and are strictly adhering to ICAO regulations, noting that British Airways and Qatar Airways have complied. However, he pointed out that Nigerian airlines and their pilots are the ones violating these standards, which he deemed unacceptable and unique to Nigeria.
Ogohi further claimed that the unprecedented deaths occurring in NiMet, with nearly 70 percent of their staff forecasters suffering from high blood pressure, are a consequence of their working conditions.
He appealed to the Minister to intervene and extend any positive changes being seen in the aviation sector to NiMet, as their staff are suffering.
On the union side, the National Deputy President of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, Uzor Oluchi, strongly criticized the poor working conditions faced by NiMet staff.
She claimed that NiMet staff are the lowest paid in the aviation industry, citing the example of a level 4 NiMet staff member earning N31,000, despite the federal government’s minimum wage.
Despite the ongoing deadlock, NiMet management has stated its commitment to finding a peaceful resolution with the unions to restore normal services.
The management noted that the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, who has been supportive, has scheduled a meeting with all involved parties for Thursday, April 24, 2025, expressing hope that the unions will be reasonable, using the analogy that “no one bites off his nose to spite his face.”
