Workers under the aegis of the Support Staff Union of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) have threatened to shut down operations at the refinery over seven months unpaid salaries.
The workers also alleged failure to implement a newly approved salary structure, saying if the demands are not addressed within 48 hours, they will shut down operations at the Port Harcourt refinery in Rivers state.
The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) is currently shut down. Although it was re-streamed in late 2024 and rehabilitated up to about 90%, it was shut down in May 2025 for maintenance and sustainability reviews, and has not resumed regular production.
The supporting staff barricaded the entrance of the company, displaying placards with various inscriptions such as “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. Support Staff demands that RC must go”.
The workers alleged that Bayo Ojulari, group chief executive officer (GCEO) of NNPC, had approved a new salary structure and remuneration package for support staff, but the refinery coordinator (RC) had yet to implement the directive.
The workers listed four demands, including the immediate implementation of the approved salary structure, payment of seven months’ salary arrears, approval of a N1 million housing and rent relief package, and better engagement between management and labour representatives on workers’ welfare.
Speaking to journalists during the protest, Bennett Isy, chairman of the PHRC Support Staff Union, alleged that workers were being subjected to “intimidation,” adding that the union would remain firm on its demands.
“We are saying that we are not backing down. We are following all due process to ensure that what rightly belongs to us gets to us. But if it is not implemented in the next 48 hours, to God, we are going to shut down this refinery,” Isy said.
“Not one soul will gain access to these premises. That I assure you.”
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