Support staff at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, have continued their protest into a sixth consecutive day, accusing entrenched interests within the oil and gas industry of obstructing genuine efforts to rehabilitate Nigeria’s refineries.
The workers, employed as casual staff under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), have vowed not to end their demonstration until their demands for improved welfare and official designation as essential staff are met.
They also insisted that refinery operations would remain halted until the NNPCL leadership addresses their grievances.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Dafe Ighomitedo said the group is frustrated by what they believe are deliberate efforts to frustrate President Bola Tinubu’s reform initiatives in the oil sector.
“We’ve been protesting since Monday and are not backing down. While management claims approval is pending from Abuja, we strongly suspect internal forces are trying to sabotage progress,” he said.
Ighomitedo expressed concern over the wide disparity between the wages of casual and permanent staff, stating that many of the workers have spent years keeping the facility operational with minimal compensation.
“We’ve dedicated our prime years to this refinery, yet our earnings do not reflect our input. Our families are struggling.”
He appealed to the recently appointed NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Bashir Ojulari, to urgently intervene and resolve the situation, which he described as damaging to the company’s reputation and national image.
“We won’t vacate this site until we see evidence of improved conditions being approved. We are treated like expendable labor, but we play a crucial role.”
The protest leader also called for public support and intervention from stakeholders, emphasizing that the refinery cannot function effectively without the support staff.
“Regardless of how much is spent on revamping the plant, it will amount to nothing if this workforce is neglected,” he warned.
Ighomitedo added that the WRPC management was aware of growing discontent among the workers, and that the current protest was a result of repeated neglect of their earlier warnings and appeals.
 in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, have continued their protest into a sixth consecutive day, accusing entrenched interests within the oil and gas industry of obstructing genuine efforts to rehabilitate Nigeria’s refineries.){kind=link}