By Emma Ogoigbe, Warri
Concerned contractors of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) Limited, Ekpan, Delta State, have expressed frustration over the non-payment for contracts they executed for the refinery since 2024.
The contractors said the projects were completed according to approved specifications and duly certified by the relevant authorities within the refinery, yet payments have remained outstanding.
As a result, the affected contractors disclosed plans to embark on a peaceful protest to draw attention to their plight and the hardship they claim has been caused by the prolonged delay in settling their invoices.
According to them, several appeals have been made to the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, and the Refinery Coordinator, Engr. Bayo Adenrele, urging them to facilitate the release of funds for payment of the completed jobs.
The contractors lamented that the delay has had severe financial consequences, especially for those who borrowed funds to execute the projects.
“The non-payment is having a negative impact on contractors who sourced loans to execute these contracts. It is also undermining the economic relief expected from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” they stated.
In a Save-Our-Soul message addressed to Engr. Adenrele, the contractors noted that commercial banks rarely provide funding for WRPC-related contracts, forcing them to seek alternative means of financing project execution.
“Despite the challenges, we went the extra mile to source funds for the execution of these contracts. Our financiers are no longer comfortable with the situation and are threatening to sell properties used as collateral, while several post-dated cheques issued have repeatedly rolled over,” the contractors said.
They further appealed to the refinery management to intervene urgently, warning that the continued delay in payment has left many contractors struggling to meet family obligations, including the payment of their children’s school fees.
According to them, further delays could result in greater financial losses, emotional distress, and worsening economic hardship for affected contractors and their families.
Efforts by our correspondent to obtain the reaction of WRPC management were unsuccessful, as officials indicated that management was engaged in a meeting at the time of inquiry
