The scheduled completion of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Train-7 Project may be stalled, following the lingering labour dispute between members of the National Association of Plant Operators and the management of Daewoo E &C Nigeria Limited.
Daewoo, a South Korean firm, has been in an industrial crisis with its workers who are protesting the refusal of the company to allow them to unionise under NAPO.
They alleged illegal deductions of check-off dues from their salaries and dismissal of 24 of their colleagues.
Following the dispute, the management of Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited has shut down its Train 7 project site and ordered its workers to vacate all work locations under its purview.
Daewoo, in a memo signed by its Project Manager, Mr. Sung Lee, said it could no longer guarantee the safety of workers and equipment following an incident last Friday, which led to severe damage on the company’s properties.
Lee, in the memo titled, “Site Shut Down” advised all workers residing at its Workers’ Village to vacate their rooms, noting that he was unsure when activities would recommence at the site.
The statement read, “Management can no longer guarantee the safety of the workers and equipment.
“Consequently, the management has decided to shut down the work site effective Monday 10th October 2022 since it can no longer guarantee the safety of both personnel and equipment.
“Therefore all workers are hereby directed to vacate the work locations.
“As a result of this, site activities are not sure to commence any time soon. Therefore, all workers are hereby put on standby
“All workers resident in workers village are strictly advised to vacate their rooms immediately.
“All workers on standby will be paid standby allowance (basic pay), standby allowance will be computed accordingly and paid to all employees bank account details.
“Management will announce the resumption of site operations when the issues are resolved and the safety of employees and equipment can be guaranteed.”
Meanwhile, the President of NAPO, Mr. Harold Benstowe, accused the management of Daewoo of insincerity in dealing with the issues.
Benstowe said NAPO would meet with the Department of State Services in Port Harcourt over the issues.
