Support staff union members of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, located in Eleme, Rivers State, have protested the delay in payment of their seven months' salaries and non-implementation of a new salary structure approved by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari. The workers barricaded the entrance of the PHRC, displaying placards and mounting tents in front of the refinery gate, temporarily disrupting activities at the complex.
The protesting workers alleged that the Refinery Coordinator had refused to implement the new salary structure approved by the GCEO. They listed four key demands, including implementation of the approved salary structure and remuneration package, approval of N1m housing/rent relief, urgent payment of outstanding salaries, and improved consultation on matters affecting workers' welfare. The workers gave the management of the NNPCL a 48-hour ultimatum to meet their demands or risk a total shutdown of the refinery.
The Chairman of the PHRC Support Staff Union, Bennett Isy, stated that the new salary structure was supposed to take effect on October 1, 2026, but nothing had been done. Isy complained about the seven months' unpaid salaries and warned that the workers would completely shut down the company if their demands were not met. He alleged that there were forces backing the Refinery Coordinator and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.
Other protesters lamented the hardship faced by workers due to non-payment of salaries and failure to approve the N1m rent relief. They demanded the removal of the NNPCL Refinery Coordinator, Bayo Adelere. A female union member, Joy Osueiya, said the workers would not accept a delay in implementing the new salary structure until January 2027. She alleged that some workers had lost loved ones and suffered injuries due to the hazardous working conditions.
Another protesting support staff member, Godspower Nwakanji, called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, citing the workers' inability to access medical attention and facing hunger and poverty. The protesters displayed placards with inscriptions, including "No more empty promises, January 2027 is too far to implement new salary structure" and "Refinery Coordinator must go."
The workers' demands include improved consultation and effective engagement among the Refinery Coordinator, managing directors, and recognised labour representatives on matters affecting workers' welfare. The protest was a peaceful demonstration against what the workers described as injustice and marginalisation at the refinery. The management of the NNPCL has not commented on the workers' demands.
The Port Harcourt Refining Company is a critical facility in Nigeria's oil and gas sector. The shutdown of the refinery could have significant implications for the country's energy supply and economy. The workers' union has vowed to take all necessary steps to ensure that their demands are met, including a complete shutdown of the refinery if necessary.
Key points
- Workers at the Port Harcourt Refining Company have threatened to shut down operations over unpaid salaries and delayed implementation of a new salary structure.
- The workers have given the management of the NNPCL a 48-hour ultimatum to meet their demands or risk a total shutdown of the refinery.
- The protest is against what the workers describe as injustice and marginalisation at the refinery, with demands including implementation of the approved salary structure and remuneration package.
