A strike has been launched by support staff at the Warri Refining & Petrochemical Company (WRPC) in Delta State, Nigeria, due to what they describe as “poor condition of service” by the company’s management. The staff, who make up 80% of the refinery’s workforce, have been protesting since 2015 and are demanding better welfare and working conditions.
According to Dafe Ighomiteso, the leader of the support staff, they have been agitating for improved conditions of service, including better salaries and benefits. Currently, cleaners at the refinery earn a monthly salary of 34,500 naira, while support staff, including engineers and technicians, earn between 90,000 and 165,000 naira. However, they lack essential benefits such as insurance coverage, medical allowance, pension, transport allowance, housing allowance, and meal allowance.
Ighomiteso emphasized that they are not asking for equal pay with other staff members but rather for a salary commensurate with their role in the oil and gas industry. He also highlighted the issue of casualization, which is forbidden by the nation, but seems to be ignored in their case. Some support staff have been working at the refinery for 18 years without proper benefits or job security.
The protesters, who have blocked the entrance to the company, vowed to remain at the gate until their demands are met. They have received support from other staff members, including Innocent Ileleji, a cleaner/gardener, who corroborated Ighomiteso’s position and stressed that their salaries are too small to take care of their families. Elohor Poko, another support staff member, also called on the General Chief Officer (GCO) to look into their plight and improve their welfare.
The strike has resulted in the shutdown of the refinery, with only the Turbine Unit still operational. A source within WRPC, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that the refinery is 60% completed and that all components of the plant are down due to ongoing maintenance. Despite efforts to reach out to the management of WRPC, they refused to comment on the issue.
The support staff has pledged their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in reviving the refineries in the country. However, they emphasize that their welfare and working conditions need to be addressed urgently to prevent further industrial action. The strike highlights the ongoing struggles of workers in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, who often face poor working conditions, low salaries, and lack of benefits.
