Fifth Columnists Using Phantom NiMet Unions To Wage Ethnic War Against NiMet DG/CEO Anosike

By Mathew Ajibola

The purported call by phantom ‘NiMet workers of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the Joint Action Congress (JAC)’ for the removal of the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike, has demonstrated once again the ethnic agenda by fifth columnists bent on making NiMet ungovernable for Prof. Anosike as the DG/CEO of the agency, with the hope of unseating him.

Since Prof. Anosike was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the DG/CEO of the agency in December 2023, he has faced many battles and challenges. All unresolved legacy issues he inherited were capitalized on by these faceless fifth columnists, who used the labour unions to threaten strike action, ultimately culminating in the recent strike action, which saw the Honourable Minister of Information, Festus Keyamo SAN, successfully intervening and the strike action suspended.

Just fresh from calling off the strike, these same faceless fifth columnists have written a fake report purportedly coming from the Labour unions asking for the removal of Professor Anosike. However, none of the Labour unions issued any such call.

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It is on record that Professor Anosike has in less than two years in office transformed the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, making it a digitally compliant weather and climate forecast agency. His administration has prioritized training and staff welfare which made the Labour unions to acknowledge and praise him in a letter written last year. The staff of NiMet, through the NiMet Unions Joint Action Committee (NJAC), showed appreciation and thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo, the House of Representatives and Senate Committees on Aviation, and the DG/CEO of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike for achieving the great welfare feat.

In a media statement dated August 12, 2024, signed by Comrade Okechukwu Nwokoro, Secretary, NJAC, and Branch President of SSASCGOC, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the unions expressed their profound gratitude and said; “this significant action has greatly alleviated the financial challenges faced by our workforce and has renewed our hope and commitment to serving the nation with excellence”.

The unions thanked Professor Charles Anosike, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NiMet for his leadership and relentless pursuit of the welfare of NiMet staff. “Your efforts to advocate on behalf of the employees and ensure that these arrears are paid reflect your deep commitment to the agency and its people. We are fortunate to have a leader who places such high value on the welfare and morale of his team.

The resolution of this issue has not only eased the financial burden on NiMet staff but has also strengthened our resolve to continue delivering high-quality meteorological services to the nation. We are motivated and inspired by your collective efforts and pledge. To continue our work with renewed hope, dedication, and enthusiasm”, the unions said.

It’s really sad that the same man that was praised by the unions months ago is now being labeled as ‘incompetent’ by phantom unions over legacy issues his administration inherited.

Some people feel entitled and feel that NiMet belongs to them. They feel that Prof. Anosike, an Igbo man, has been standing in their way and has not allowed them to have their way and continue with business as usual in the agency. They are the ones who like the Americans say have been ‘wagging the dog’, creating one crises after another, and using phony news websites to discredit him.

They have not relented making frivolous claims of not being qualified to run NiMet, and being responsible for the recent strike action embarked upon by agency-based unions.

Nigeria belongs to all of us. Professor Anosike should not be hounded out of office because he is an Igboman. President Tinubu who appointed Prof. Anosike knows his professional competence. He has been performing beyond expectations since he was appointed.