Monrovia – A group of 400 former employees of the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC) is appealing to Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh for a decisive ruling in their ongoing case that has stretched over nearly two decades. The workers, who were laid off in 2006 as part of a plan to reduce the company’s workforce from 750 to 250, argue that their dismissal was politically motivated and unjust. They point to the fact that LPRC continued hiring new employees after their termination, suggesting that the layoffs were not truly aimed at restructuring the company.
The workers filed a complaint against LPRC and the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration in 2009, accusing them of unfair labor practices. Despite a ruling from the Labor Court that sided with LPRC, the employees appealed the decision to the Supreme Court. The case has been heard twice by the court, once in 2018 under Chief Justice Francis Korkpor and again in 2023 under Chief Justice Yuoh, yet both times the verdict was postponed. Now, the former employees are calling on Chief Justice Yuoh to issue a final decision, as they believe the prolonged legal process is an attempt to deny them justice.
The workers’ frustration is compounded by the fact that 92 of their colleagues have reportedly died from the emotional and physical toll of the drawn-out legal proceedings. Many families have been left devastated, with the workers expressing that the delay has caused irreparable harm.
“We have waited too long,” one former employee said. “It’s been over ten years, and many of us are suffering. We need closure, whether it’s justice or moving on from this ordeal.
The workers’ plea underscores broader concerns about the delays in the Liberian judicial system, particularly in labor-related cases, where workers often wait years for a resolution. As their case remains unresolved, the former LPRC employees continue to hold hope that Chief Justice Yuoh will soon bring their struggle to a conclusion.
