Operations at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano State were disrupted on Wednesday as staff of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency staged a protest over the non-implementation of the new national minimum wage.
The industrial action led to delays in several scheduled flights, leaving many passengers stranded and causing widespread frustration among travelers.
The protest disrupted several flights, prompting cancellations and delays, an airport staff member who pleaded anonymity stated, according to PUNCH Online.
“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,” he said.
Many air travellers were reportedly stranded as the protest caused widespread flight delays.
The Northwest Zonal Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Employees, Timothy Meshelia, further confirmed that several flights were disrupted at the airport on Wednesday due to the protest.
“The protesting staff are accusing the management of NiMet of failing to implement the N30,000 and N70,000 minimum wage, non-payment of staff allowances, ignoring requests to include omitted staff in past payments, and neglecting key training programmes, among other issues.
“The association has given the management one month to implement the new minimum wage or face industrial action,” he stated.
They also called on management to take proactive steps to address the economic hardships faced by staff, including the payment of a subsistence allowance previously agreed upon with the unions.
At the time of filing this report, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria officials in Kano had yet to release an official statement on the protest.
