Workers under the aegis of the Support Staff Union of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) have protested over seven months of unpaid salaries and threatened to shut down the refinery if their demands are not addressed within 48 hours.
Gatekeepers News reports that the workers barricaded the entrance of the PHRC in Eleme, Rivers State, displayed placards and mounted tents at the refinery gate, temporarily disrupting activities at the complex.
The workers also accused management of failing to implement a newly approved salary structure and remuneration package, which they said was approved by Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Their demands include immediate implementation of the approved salary structure, payment of seven months’ salary arrears, approval of a ₦1 million housing and rent relief package for eligible support staff, and improved engagement between management and recognised labour representatives over workers’ welfare.
Some of the placards displayed by the protesters read: “No more empty promises, January 2027 is too far to implement new salary structure,” “Refinery Coordinator must go,” and “Approved by GCEO on 1st October, rejected by RC. Support Staff demands that RC must go”.
Speaking during the protest, Bennett Isy, chairman of the PHRC Support Staff Union, questioned why an approval by the NNPCL leadership had not been implemented.
“You cannot tell us that the GCEO of the NNPC approved something and the RC will say no. That is insubordination,” Isy said.
He also called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
“We know the forces that are backing the RC, and because of that, we are calling on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to call the RC to order.”
Isy said the workers would not withdraw their demands and warned of a shutdown if the salary structure was not implemented.
“We are saying that we are not backing down. We are following all due process to ensure that what rightly belongs to us gets to us. But if it is not implemented in the next 48 hours, to God, we are going to shut down this refinery,” he said.
“Not one soul will gain access to these premises. That I assure you.”
Joy Osueiya, one of the protesting workers, said employees had rejected a proposal to wait until January 2027 for implementation of the new salary structure.
“When the RC visited the last time, he said we should wait until January 2027, and we are here to say no. January 2027 is too late,” she said.
Osueiya added: “Why will the GCEO approve something to be implemented for us on October 1, and the RC will say no? We object to it.”
She also alleged that workers had suffered serious health and safety challenges at the refinery.
“A lot of us have lost loved ones in this refinery. Some of our men cannot even impregnate their wives again. Some of our colleagues have lost their lives here.”
She further said: “Some have lost their arms because of how hazardous the place is. So we are here to say no. Enough is enough. Implement it now.”
Another protesting worker, Godspower Nwakanji, appealed to the president to intervene, saying:
“We cannot renew our hope in hunger and poverty.”
He added: “We cannot renew our hope when there is no medical attention. We have worked for 10 years without medical response.”
