Nelson Utip
In spite of the 80% completion of the US$10 billion NLNG Train 7 Project located in Bonny Island, Rivers State, the plant operators have decried their poor working conditions, complaining that the few expatriates working with them are more favoured than the Nigerians workers.
Under the aegis of the National Association of Plants Operators (NAPO), the plant operators told journalists in Port Harcourt that members of the association who have worked to take the project to 80 per cent completion level are working without being appreciated.
Mr. Harold Benstowe, The National President NAPO, said his members contribute more to the building of the plant, but it’s unfortunate that they are not appreciated and given peanuts for their work.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), which is partnering with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited in executing the US$10 billion Train 7 project, recently inaugurated 140 trainees for an intensive three-month Advanced Nigerian Content Human Capital Development (NC-HCD) Programme as the project awaits commissioning.
Benstowe however called on the authorities to ensure that their members also benefit from employment and better pay from the project in order to ensure local content.
He further stated that since NAPO could not get the necessary outcome from the National Assembly, they had to approach the National Industrial Court of Nigeria Abuja Division where they filed a further amendment/joinder in a N500 billion suit No: NICN/ABJ/165/2024 challenging the FG, Nigeria LNG & 10 Orders in a bid to address the rights of members.
“Our members are the ones working in that train 7 project, this people that are building this plant, usually are the victims. When we built, you will see people that will be employed, they will come and make a lot of money.
“What they pay us that are building that plant is not even upto $120, but the Pinos and the Koreans that are working there that are even doing the same jobs like our Nigerian operators are paid $6,000 to $7,000 a month, this is a job of $10 billion.
“We had dragged the NLNG to the National Assembly, House of Representatives, to look into this matter and ensure that this disparity is corrected, the public petition committee looked into our complaints, but our efforts at the National Assembly failed.
“For NLNG to come out and say that the job is 80% complete, that means the job is close to 90% completion, and it’s our members that are working day and night to make this possible, but they don’t get workers’ incentives.” He added.
Mr. Emma Nwatu, a Personnel from the Public Affairs Department of NLNG, when contacted said the workers were paid based on what was initially agreed by both parties.
“How can you agree payment with an organization and get paid according to agreement and suddenly claim to be maltreated simply because your neighbour has a better agreement with the same organization?” Nwatu said.
