Support staff at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) in Eleme, Rivers State, have threatened to shut down the facility over seven months of unpaid salaries and failure to implement a newly approved salary structure.
The workers, under the Support Staff Union of PHRC, staged a protest at the refinery gate on Monday, barricading the entrance and mounting tents, disrupting activities at the complex.
They issued a 48 hour ultimatum to the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to act or risk a total shutdown.
The union said the new salary structure was approved by NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, with effect from October 1, 2026, but alleged that the Refinery Coordinator has refused to implement it.
Their demands include immediate implementation of the approved package, payment of seven months outstanding salaries and other entitlements, approval of N1 million housing rent relief for eligible support staff, and improved engagement between management and labour representatives.
Speaking during the protest, union chairman Bennett Isy said workers would not back down until their demands are met.
Placards displayed by the protesters read, “No more empty promises, January 2027 is too far” and “Approved by GCEO on 1st October, rejected by RC.”
The workers have also called on the Federal Government to intervene over what they described as injustice and marginalisation.
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