From ONYEKACHUKWU MELUWA, Port Harcourt
Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, $10 billion Train 7 project in Bonny Island, Rivers State, has again been crippled, as workers accused contractors of tax fraud, raising fresh questions about transparency and workers rights in one of the federal government’s most strategic investments.
Some welders and fitters employed by Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria, DECN, and Saipem yesterday shut down operations, alleging that the companies deducted heavy taxes from their salaries for over three years without remittance to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.
The aggrieved workers said the deductions have not only eroded their take-home pay, but also left them without tax identification number or clearance certificates—requirements that the federal government insists every Nigerian must possess from 2026.
“This is not just about money; it is about accountability. We have been taxed up to ₦150,000 monthly with no receipts, no records and no tax clearance. If government is serious about reforms, this is where it must start,” Utin Wisdom Ifiok, a pipe fitter with Daewoo, said.
Investigations revealed that junior staff earning about N219,000 monthly reportedly lose up to N40,000 to unverified tax deductions, while welders and fitters earning N400,000 face as much as N150,000 in deductions. None of the affected workers have seen any evidence of remittance.
The development came barely two weeks after an earlier protest at the same facility, heightening concern that Nigeria’s flagship gas project could face prolonged disruption if the dispute is not resolved.
Industry watchers warn that beyond the industrial action, the allegation raises credibility issues for foreign contractors operating in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, particularly as government seeks to attract new investments.
President of the National Association of Plant Operators, NAPO, Mr Harold Benstowe, condemned reports that protesting staff were locked inside their camps during the demonstration. He called for urgent intervention by the Ministers of Labour and Finance, alongside the military high command, to prevent escalation.
As at press time, the management of NLNG, Daewoo and Saipem had yet to issue official statements, leaving uncertainty over the next steps in a dispute that could dent Nigeria’s push for energy sector reforms.
