WRPC Support Staff Threaten Total Shutdown Over Poor Working Conditions, Unfulfilled Promises

Support staff of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), have issued a stern warning of an impending shutdown of operations at the refinery located in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

Over 300 disgruntled employees staged a protest on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, citing over a decade of what they described as "workplace slavery," poor remuneration, and a consistent failure by WRPC and NNPCL management to fulfill longstanding commitments regarding staff welfare and permanent employment.

The protesters, many of whom have worked at the facility for more than 10 years as casual workers, vowed to embark on a full-scale protest and indefinite shutdown of the refinery effective Monday, May 5, 2025, should their demands remain unmet.

In a jointly signed statement by protest leaders Ighomitedo Dafe, Eserada Emmanuel, Richard Okorodudu, and Mrs. Alero Agoreyo, the workers lamented being subjected to exploitative conditions and meager monthly stipends ranging between ₦90,000 and ₦165,000—despite operating within a hazardous industrial environment.

“We have suffered emotionally, psychologically, and physically working under deplorable conditions. We are not asking for luxury, we are demanding fairness and dignity,” the statement read in part. “Enough is enough. We will no longer tolerate being used and discarded.”

The protest follows a long trail of unresolved grievances dating back to 2015, during which numerous appeals were made to WRPC management, traditional leaders of Uvwie and Warri kingdoms, and even the House of Representatives. Protesters claim that despite assurances, no meaningful action has been taken.

Past engagements, including a major protest in April 2022 and another in November 2023, resulted in marginal salary increases but failed to address their core demand: a comprehensive and improved salary structure with a clear path to permanent employment.

The statement highlighted a pattern of unmet promises, including commitments from previous WRPC leadership, and the controversial layoff of a significant number of support staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following the restart of WRPC operations in December 2024 under the Quick-Fix initiative led by Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited, the workers expected a long-promised wage and benefits upgrade. However, they allege that management once again deferred the implementation of improved conditions, this time until March 2025—another deadline they claim has now passed without action.

“The management has failed to honour its word repeatedly. We suspended several protests in good faith, hoping for resolution. Now that the plant is operational, we are told to wait again. This delay is both insulting and demoralizing,” the statement added.

The workers are calling on all relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Government, NNPCL leadership, and civil society groups, to intervene and prevent a looming industrial crisis that could halt refinery operations and disrupt economic activities.

They insist that this time, unless concrete steps are taken to address their demands, they will proceed with a full shutdown of the WRPC facility on May 5, 2025.