Aggrieved contractors handling projects at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), Ekpan in Delta State, have raised concerns over alleged non-payment for contracts executed since 2024, accusing the facility’s management of prolonged financial neglect.
The contractors said they were deeply disappointed that repeated appeals to the authorities had not yielded any response, despite completing their jobs according to agreed specifications and having them duly certified by relevant officials.
They warned that they may be forced to embark on a peaceful protest to draw attention to their situation, describing their current financial hardship as severe and unsustainable, and blaming WRPC management for their predicament.
According to them, the planned demonstration is a last resort after several formal petitions were sent to the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Bayo Ojulari, and the refinery coordinator, Bayo Adenrele, demanding settlement of outstanding payments.
In a joint statement, the contractors said, “Sadly, the failure of payment is having a negative impact on the contractors who borrowed money to execute the various contracts done.”
They added, “Above all, it is having a negative effect on president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda that is working perfectly for the nation.”
In an earlier SOS message to refinery coordinator Aderenle, the contractors lamented the pressure from financial institutions over unpaid loans used to execute the contracts.
They said banks were no longer willing to exercise patience, despite promissory notes allegedly issued by WRPC, adding that their repayment obligations had continued to accumulate.
“Yet, we went the extra mile to source funds for the proper execution of these contracts,” the contractors said.
They further explained that lenders were now threatening to seize properties used as collateral, as post-dated cheques issued to them had repeatedly bounced or been rolled over.
The contractors also appealed for urgent intervention, saying many of them were struggling to meet basic family responsibilities, including paying children’s school fees.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the management of the Warri refinery were unsuccessful as officials were reportedly engaged in a meeting at the time of filing this report.
