Train 7 Crisis: NAPO Rejects Daewoo’s Undertaking Policy, Calls It “Dead on Arrival”

Port Harcourt, Rivers State – October 12, 2025:
The National Association of Plant Operators (NAPO) has strongly opposed the alleged plan by Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited (DECN) to compel workers at the NLNG Train 7 Project to sign undertakings before resuming work.

According to NAPO President General, Harold Benstowe, the association views the move as “ill-advised, unacceptable, and dead on arrival.”

In a statement issued on Sunday, Benstowe cautioned DECN against any form of worker intimidation, stressing that the association would not hesitate to take legal action if any of its members were unfairly treated.

“This undertaking issue is ill-conceived. These same tactics were what led NAPO to drag Nigeria LNG, Daewoo, Saipem, and others before the National Industrial Court in Abuja,” Benstowe warned.

“NAPO will not tolerate any form of victimization under the guise of an undertaking. That plan is dead on arrival.”

Protests Disrupt Daewoo’s Section of Train 7 Project

Operations at Daewoo’s section of the NLNG Train 7 site in Bonny have reportedly been halted following protests by welders, fitters, and other junior workers demanding tax refunds. The aggrieved employees accuse the company of excessive tax deductions and non-transparent remittance practices.

In response, Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited (DECN) clarified in a recent statement that it had already engaged the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) to review and confirm its tax compliance. The company said the RIRS had absolved it of any wrongdoing after confirming that all deductions and remittances were made according to due process.

Despite this, Daewoo’s management reportedly issued a memo over the weekend ordering a temporary shutdown of its project section and instructing workers to vacate the workers’ village. However, workers issued a counter-disclaimer, stating they would remain at their posts until all unresolved matters were addressed.

Contractor Urges Workers to Resume Work Peacefully

One of DECN’s labour supply contractors, Frank Hart, CEO of God’s Tithe T&C, took to his verified Meta (formerly Facebook) page to urge workers to resume work peacefully and seek justice through legal means.

Hart emphasized that only a court of competent jurisdiction can declare a company guilty of over-taxation, warning that resorting to violence or property damage would be unlawful.

“Workers should sign the undertaking, return to work, and pursue justice lawfully. Criminal behavior cannot be a tool for seeking justice,” Hart wrote.

Police Invite Key Worker Amid Ongoing Tension

Meanwhile, a letter sighted by Kristina Reports with reference number AR: 3000/RVS/BNY/VOL. 17/240, dated October 12, 2025, and titled “Police Invitation for Meeting,” indicated that the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has invited one of the protesting welders, Wisdom Utin Effiok, for a meeting at the State Police Command Headquarters.

Though the Police Public Relations Officer is yet to release an official statement, a senior officer who spoke off the record said the invitation was not meant to intimidate workers but to foster dialogue and peaceful resolution of the ongoing crisis.