Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
Contractors of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) Limited, Ekpan, Delta State, have cried out over alleged non-payment by the refinery for contracts executed since 2024.
The contractors said that they were particularly pained the management was yet to consider it worthwhile to address its indebtedness for the various contracts, which they stressed “were executed according to specifications and duly certified by the authorities of the refinery.”
The aggrieved contractors warned that they had decided to embark on a peaceful protest to draw attention to their plight, saying that they were facing untold hardship, a condition they accused the WRPC management of subjecting them to.
They had adopted the peaceful protest as a last resort after making several formal appeals to the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Engr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, and the Refinery Coordinator, Engr. Bayo Adenrele, to release funds for the payment of the outstanding debts, the contactors said in a statement on Monday.
The statement signed by Mr Pius Abolagha, one of the leaders of the group, and Mr Felix Oyowe, representing Ubeji Community of Warri, the aggrieved contractors lamented that the interests on funds they sourced for the various contracts were suffocating them.
“Sadly, the failure of payment is having negative impact on the contractors who borrowed money to execute the various contracts done.
“Above all, it is having negative effect on president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda that is working perfectively for the nation”, the contractors said.
Earlier in an S.O.S, to Engr Bayo Aderenle, the aggrieved contractors noted that
banking institutions were not swayed by sentiments even if the WRPC had issued promisory note in respect of the contracts executed for the refinery as they obtained loans to carry out the contracts.
“Yet, we went the extra mile to source funds for the proper execution of these contracts.
“Our financiers are no longer comfortable with us and are threatening to sell our properties, which we used as collaterals since our post-dated cheques issued have rolled over severally”, the contractors lamented.
The contractors pleaded with the refinery authorities to pay and save them from the embarrassment of inability to meet family responsibilities, saying they were unable to pay their children’s school fees with most of them being presently out of school, a situation they feared could be aggravated by any further delay.