By, Okafor Joseph, springnewsng media limited May 8,2025

Support staff at the Warri Refining & Petrochemical Company (WRPC) in Delta State have launched an indefinite strike, bringing operations to a halt over what they describe as “degrading conditions of service.”

The protesters, who constitute about 80% of the refinery’s workforce, blocked the main entrance of the facility on Wednesday, May 8, 2025, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with demands for improved welfare.

Leading the protest, Dafe Ighomiteso said the support staff have long endured exploitation and neglect, noting that many have worked at the facility for over 18 years without basic employment benefits.

“We are not slaves,” Ighomiteso stated. “We have no health insurance, no pensions, no transport or housing allowances. We’re simply asking for fair treatment and a decent condition of service.”

He added that the group has been protesting since 2015 and that they will make public a five-page document outlining their grievances if management continues to ignore them.

Ighomiteso revealed that despite working in hazardous conditions, cleaners are paid as little as ₦34,500 monthly, while technical support staff earn between ₦90,000 and ₦165,000—a range they say is unjustifiable in the oil and gas industry.

Another protester, Innocent Ileleji, a cleaner/gardener, lamented that many have gone unpaid and that their salaries are insufficient to support their families. “We were promised a salary review in 2013. Till now, nothing has changed,” he said.

Support staff member Elohor Poko echoed the dissatisfaction, urging the company’s leadership to urgently address their welfare.

A WRPC insider, who spoke anonymously, confirmed that the refinery is currently undergoing maintenance and only the turbine unit remains operational. He noted that the refinery is approximately 60% completed.

Efforts to obtain a response from WRPC management were unsuccessful, as no official comment has been provided as of the time of reporting.