NAPO Drags NLNG, Daewoo, Saipem, Labour Supply Contractors Before Labour Ministry, EFCC, ICPC

The National Association of Plants Operators (NAPO) has petitioned the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Economic, Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) requesting investigation into alleged tax fraud in the Train 7 project of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) in Bonny, Rivers State.

The three institutions were called upon to probe the alleged tax infractions with the project owner, NLNG, project implementers, Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited (DECN) and Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited as suspected culprits.

The petition, which was advanced to the various institutions by Everlaw Associates, a legal services provider, on behalf of NAPO, and sighted by Kristina Reports, had attached to it an affidavit sworn to by NAPO’s President General, Harold Benstowe.

“Petition on Tax Fraud in the Ongoing NLNG Train 7 Project in Bonny, Rivers State with Respect to PAYE Tax Deduction”

“We are solicitor to the National Association of Plants Operators – NAPO. Our client is a recognized Trade Union duly approved for registration by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.”  

“We write to invite your Commission to investigate issues of tax fraud in the Nigerian LNG Ltd Train 7 project in Bonny, Rivers State with respect to unremitted PAYE Tax deductions.”

“Our client has received complaints from its members engaged in the ongoing NLNG Train7 Project. The information at their disposal indicates that:

Since their engagement on the NLNG Train 7 Project, PAYE Tax has always been deducted from their salaries in accordance with the relevant provisions of the law.

“However, they have never been able to get their Tax Clearance Certificates.”

“Our members have had cause to complain because the rate of deduction made on their salaries as seen on their pay slips for PAYE purposes is unusually high. They tried to raise this with the Management of the Project to no avail.”  

“Despite their dissatisfaction with this state of affairs, they have continued to carry out their work assiduously in the hope that the tax deductions would be reconciled ultimately.”

With the news about the coming into force of the new tax regime in 2026, our client’s members raised the issue of their tax deductions again with the Management of the Project and they were not given any definitive response.

Our client’s members decided to do their own private investigations to confirm the possibility of approaching the Rivers Inland Revenue Service (RIRS).”

The EFCC has also acknowledged receipt of the petition via a letter addressed to NAPO dated Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

Meanwhile, the NLNG, DECN and Saipem have yet to respond to enquiries sent to them by Kristina Reports just this virtual newsmagazine reliably learnt that all three firms allegedly declined invitations to meet with the State Controller of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Port Harcourt.

Expectations are high that the petitioned agencies would swing into action and kickstart investigation into the extant issues bedeviling the commencement of work on the Train 7 project.