Exclusive: NPDC contractors’ staff shutdown Ogunu Golf Resort, Warri over unpaid 15-month salary

Contractors’ Staff under the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC (former Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, Warri) today, Wednesday March 22, commenced shutdown of the Ogunu Golf Resort, Warri in Delta State, over unpaid 15-month salaries, blaming the non-payment of their wages on the purported refusal of NPDC to pay its vendors, who are the direct employers of the protesting workers.

Our Principal Correspondent, reports that the aggrieved workers, bearing placards with inscriptions such as; “15 months No Salary, NPDC”, “No Training for Contractor workers, NPDC” and “Stop Job slavery, NPDC”, vowed to sustain the protest cum shutdown of the prestigious Ogunu Golf Resort, until the management of NPDC release fund for their payment.

Some of the protesting workers, with placards  

Whilst describing working with NPDC as a modern slavery inside Nigeria, the protesting workers, said their demand should be met immediately, before the situation gets out of hand.

One of the protesting workers, Pst. Jeremiah Emegbero, who is a Supervisor with Festy Mak Nigeria Enterprises, Ogunu Golf Resort, explained that they have been pleading with the management of NPDC to release their unpaid wages to their contractors, “but they (NPDC management) refused, rather NPDC is only paying its direct staff millions, without commensurate job”.

He emphasized that the upcoming OGRWR- GS Ladies’ Open, scheduled to hold from March 30 to April 2 this year, will not hold, except NPDC settle their 15-month salaries and review their condition of service.

Pst. Emegbero, pointed out that they have not been promoted or sent on training for the years they have been working, yet, “NPDC continually send their staff on training, without considering we, the contractors’ staff, who have put in between 30, 25, 20 and 10 years, respectively on the job.”

One Sheriff Erekabor, who works with NuvieUdi Nigeria Enterprises, one of the NPDC vendors, said they have been working for the past 30 years, “with nothing to show, lack of welfare packages and no medicals, among other basic benefits”.

Another aggrieved worker, Mary Akhilele, appealed to the management of NPDC to as a matter of urgency, keep to their assurances and pay them immediately, so that they can stop the protest and resume work.

Mary Akhilele, speaking to Our Principal Correspondent

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