Warri refinery workers schedule protest for August 19 over unfavorable condition of service

Support Staff of Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, WRPCL, have scheduled their protest for August 19, 2024, over unfavorable condition of services.

The workers made the announcement in an open letter to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio made to Africa Investigative Magazine on Wednesday.

The support staff and other workers lamented over the deplorable work atmosphere in the refinery, calling on the federal government to come to their aid.

The letter signed by Ighomitedo Dafe – Lead Support staff representative, Eserada Emmanuel- Support Staff Representative, Richard O. Okorodudu – Support Staff Representative,
Mrs. Alero Agoreyo – Support Staff Representative and titled: “Open letter to Senator Godswill Akpabio on planned protest to end the workplace slavery of support staff in WRPC support staff “, reads in parts:

“Your Excellency, We the Support Staff of Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPCL), who were committed since 2022 to the Quick-Fix Project of the nation’s Warri Refinery, have been technically PROVOKED by NNPCL Top Management to go on a Planned Protest scheduled for Monday 19th August, 2024.

“This protest is being triggered by the refusal of NNPCL/WRPCL to approve and implement the Support Staff Condition of Service/Improved Remuneration Package, and the recent NNPCL
Advertisement Seeking Experienced Hire of maximum 37 years of age – a scheme to edge off the support staff who have put in over 12 years in WRPC.

“Actually, the Support Staff of WRPCL have been in agitation for Improved Remuneration Package, Condition of Service, as applicable to other Support Staff in NNPCL since 2015, which have
periodically ended with promises from WRPC Management.

“We were at a certain period demanding for conversion to Permanent Staff have served the company for over 10 years as casual workers. This same issue got to the Palaces of the Host communities (Ovie of Uvwie and the Olu of Warri) and then to the Federal House of Representatives in 2019/2020, where promises that were never met were reached.

“Rather, Support Staff in their large numbers were dropped and paid off before the Covid-19 saga. The remaining Support staff that were not laid off continued to receive peanuts called “salary”.

“The Support Staff then felt since Conversion to Permanent Staff seems difficult for management to handle, Improved Salary Structure/Condition of Service should be reasonably done by WRPC Management. Yet, nothing has been done over the years to alleviate our suffering!

“To make it very explicit Your Excellency, the Support Staff of the Refineries are the only Support Staff in NNPCL SBUs/CSUs that do not have Condition of Service/Remuneration Package that contains: Housing allowance, Transport allowance, Hazard allowance, Meal allowance, Medical allowance, Insurance coverage, Leave allowance, Pension, and the likes that is due to Support Staff and third party staff of all SBUs/CSUs of NNPCL.

“The Support Staff of WRPCL have over the years resorted to getting justice from this Workplace Slavery through peaceful protest and series of appeal letters to the relevant authorities. The most recent was our Open letter to Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), published on page 24,
Vanguard Newspaper, Thursday, May 30th, 2024, where we copied Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Hon. Ekperipe Ekpo, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas); Engr.Mele Kolo Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPCL, and His Excellency, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, Executive Governor of Delta State. Sadly to note, our Peaceful and Reasonable approach has Yielded No Results, probably because we resolved to Shun Violence and Not pitch warri Refinery!

“Your Excellency, the Support Staff of WRPCL have lost their “Morale and Zest” in ensuring that the Warri
Refinery comes on stream as scheduled by the management of NNPCL, over the Employment Advertorial seeking for Experienced Hire of not less than 37 years of age. There are Support Staff in all the SBUs and CSUs of NNPCL.

“Since NNPC is now limited (NNPCL), one would expect that the Support Staff of the SBUs/CSUs be absorbed internally first in the recruitment exercise (at least 50%), before extending the advert to the public. Support Staff of all the SBUs/CSUs already know the company ethics; we have the technical know-how on the Job Deliverables of our respective SBUs, we have invested our youthful life in serving the nation under NNPC.

“WRPC/NNPC have collated the biometrics of all Support Staff more than once, hence the eligibility criteria for Experienced Hire – Maximum age of
37 years with Master’s Degree, is a deliberate attempt to edge off the Support Staff from benefiting from our long outstanding years of service. It should be noted that about 95% of WRPC Support Staff are graduates.

“The Support Staff of WRPCL have been the major key players in Operating (running), Maintaining (Repairs) and Sustaining (Preservation) of the plants over the years while rendering ancillary services to NGMC, NGIC, SEPLAT, NMDPRA, NPSC, ND WESTERN, KHNL, NPDC etc. We were the ones that carried out the steam-out operations for the Pre-Quick Fix of the plants before the arrival of Daewoo Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited, for the Quick Fix Project.

“We have given our all to ensure that the Quick Fix Project is completed for the plants to fully come on stream. Some Support Staff have put in over 18 years in WRPC, and now there is a scheme to hedge us out with an age limit of 37 years. How then does anyone expect us to allow Warri Refinery to come on stream now, only for some so-called experienced?

“Hire from nowhere to come and be trained by us, and thereafter, we will be thrown out? Which Refinery did they get their experience from? Slavery in the highest order! Perhaps law-abiding citizens of Nigeria are being treated as trash! It seems to us that the voices of law abiding citizens of Nigeria are not heard until there is bloodshed!! We therefore resolved to take our chances!!!

“It is on the backdrop of these two points above that we seek to draw your attention to the Workplace Slavery of Support Staff in WRPCL, and the planned protest that will commence on Monday 19th August, 2024. It is however our wish that the situation will not go awry!

“Thus, your swift intervention will salvage the situation and put the nation in a good spotlight towards her response to the cry of the citizenry of Nigeria.

“Your Excellency, we therefore call on you to use your good office to permanently put to an end the
Workplace Slavery in Warri Refinery by prevailing on WRPCL/NNPCL Management for immediate
approval and implementation of WRPC Support Staff Remuneration Package that is commensurate with relevant Oil and Gas sector. We are presently being denied of Housing allowance, Transport
allowance, Hazard allowance, Meal allowance, Medical allowance, Insurance coverage, Leave allowance, Pension, and the likes that is due to Support Staff and third party staff of all SBUs/CSUs of NNPCL.

“We also plead that you prevail on NNPCL Management to ensure that at least 50% of the Support Staff
of all the SBUs/CSUs are absorbed as Experienced Hire, in the course of the ongoing recruitment exercise in NNPCL, not barring us with age limit and Master’s Degree. WRPC Support Staff are tested, trusted and reliable integrated team players in the refinery business.”