The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP), the amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, the Civil Service Technical Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), and the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporation and Government Owned Company (SSASCGON) comprise the union under the auspices of the NIMET Joint Committee (NIJAC).
The warning comes in response to a petition written by APC leader Chief Olufemi Adegboye against NIMET Director General Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu. The petition was sent to Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the President of the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and other important government officials.
Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, the director general of NIMET, was accused by Adegboye of misappropriating funds, extreme nepotism, undermining the government apparatus, failing to uphold federal character principles, forgoing due process, assigning lower priority to work than other projects, hiring without permission, and accelerating promotions in an unfair and irregular manner.
The branch secretaries of the union, Comrades Okunbor Hycent, Okereafor Remeo, Alao Adesina, and Alleh Kehinde King, took turns expressing their displeasure with the petition.
The union urged the APC chairman to use caution and avoid taking any part in any activities that would endanger the agency's and its leadership's reputation at a media parley.
They claim that Prof. Matazu, NiMet's director general, enjoys enormous respect on both a national and international level in the aviation sector.
"His work and knowledge helped the organization make important strides and boosted its stature internationally.
"We are worried about the harm that these unfounded petitions could do to the whole aviation sector. Before making any accusations or claims against the NiMet leader, it is crucial that all pertinent parties exhibit caution and follow established protocols.
In order for petitioners' concerns to be addressed, we advise them to compile specific evidence and go through the proper channels.
The Aviation Union stressed the importance of responsibility and transparency in resolving any disputes within the sector.
The union also commended Prof. Matazu's professionalism and dedication, which have significantly improved Nigeria's meteorological services.
"Under his direction, NiMet has made great strides, which have improved weather forecasting, strengthened safety protocols, and worker welfare, among other things.
"Nimet is not a political platform because the majority of the agency's employees are professionals who enjoy the public's trust. The petitioner may not have been well briefed before hurriedly delivering his appeal to the bodies he sent it to, based on our observations as major players here. As was previously said, we as unions cannot speak for the management of NiMet.
He might want to know that the actions he called for in his petition went through bureaucratic hoops before they were completed, and the union would have been the first to inform the public in that case. Since NiMet is where we receive our pay, it is also our responsibility to maintain its sustainability, they added.
They confirmed that the Director General/CEO NiMet leadership style was centered on inclusivity and free of nepotism and parodiatism, which has aided in the development of the agency, and they added that since the start of his administration, staff members have largely enjoyed unity among themselves despite racial and religious differences.
