Support staff at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) in Delta State have embarked on an indefinite strike, effectively shutting down the facility in protest against what they describe as “poor conditions of service” imposed by the company’s management.

 

The workers, who make up a significant portion of the refinery’s labor force, staged a peaceful demonstration at the entrance of the refinery, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions decrying what they termed “workplace slavery.” They have vowed not to vacate the premises until their demands are met.

 

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Dafe Ighomiteso, leader of the support staff, revealed that they constitute 80% of the refinery’s workforce. “It is disheartening that we are here today still protesting workplace slavery,” he stated. “We have been agitating since 2015 for one thing—improved working conditions.”

 

He disclosed that the workers had documented their grievances in a five-page compendium, which they intend to make public following the protest.

 

Ighomiteso further highlighted the poor remuneration and lack of benefits endured by the support staff. “Cleaners working in this hazardous environment only recently started earning ₦34,500 monthly. For technicians, engineers, and other professionals, salaries range between ₦90,000 and a maximum of ₦165,000. There’s no insurance, no medical allowance, no pension, no transport or housing allowance, and no meal subsidy.”

 

He added that some workers have been with the company for over 18 years without any significant improvement in their conditions. “We’re not asking to be paid the same as core staff, but we deserve benefits comparable to support staff in other Strategic and Corporate Services Units of NNPC, especially within the oil and gas sector,” he stressed. “Casualization of labor is illegal, yet no one is speaking up for us.”

 

Despite their grievances, the protesting workers reiterated their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and its mandate to revive Nigeria’s refineries.

 

Another protester, Innocent Ileleji, a cleaner and gardener, echoed Ighomiteso’s concerns. He noted that many of them are owed wages and have received no salary review since 2013. “We can barely sustain our families with what we earn,” he said.

 

Elohor Poko, another support staff member, described their salaries as “extremely poor” and appealed to the General Chief Officer (GCO) to urgently intervene and address their plight.

 

A source within WRPC, who requested anonymity, confirmed that all plant operations are currently halted due to ongoing maintenance, with only the Turbine Unit running minimally. The source also noted that the refinery’s rehabilitation is about 60% complete.

 

Attempts to get an official response from WRPC management were unsuccessful, as they declined to comment on the issue.