Support Staff Union members of the Port Harcourt Refining Company have protested the delay in the payment of their seven months’ salaries and the non-implementation of a new salary structure recently approved by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari.
The workers gave the management of the NNPCL a 48-hour ultimatum to implement the new salary structure or risk the total shutdown of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, located in Eleme, Rivers State.
The protesting workers, who barricaded the entrance of the PHRC on Monday, displayed placards with various inscriptions and mounted tents in front of the refinery gate, temporarily disrupting activities at the complex.
They alleged that after the NNPCL GCEO gave the approval, the Refinery Coordinator had refused to implement it.
The aggrieved union members said the peaceful protest was against what they described as injustice and marginalisation at the refinery, and listed four key demands.
The demands include the implementation of the approved salary structure and remuneration package in accordance with the applicable approval and effective date; approval of the requested N1m housing/rent relief to alleviate accommodation challenges facing eligible support staff; urgent payment of their seven months’ outstanding salaries and other legitimate entitlements owed to affected workers; and improved consultation and effective engagement among the Refinery Coordinator, managing directors, relevant management authorities and recognised labour representatives on matters affecting workers’ welfare.
Some of the inscriptions on their placards 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 (Refinery Coordinator), Support Staff demands that RC must go.”
