Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The labour dispute rocking one of the EPC firms handling Nigeria LNG Limited’s Train-7 project, Daewoo E&C Nigeria Limited, has taken another dimension as President of the National Association of Plants Operators, Mr Harold Benstowe, has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force.
Recall that the management of Daewoo recently shutdown its section of the ongoing Train-7 construction site in Bonny, amidst protracted industrial crisis with its employees who are demanding for fair labour treatment in line with international best practices from the South Korean firm.
The workers, led by the National President of NAPO, Comrade Harold Benstowe, since September 6th had protested at Daewoo’s site in Bonny demanding that the management of DECN agree to their terms on the treatment of workers.
Following the protracted dispute, Benstowe was invited by the DSS in Port Harcourt for a meeting aimed at resolving the issues on Tuesday, where he was eventually arrested by DSS operatives and handed over to the Police.
Confirming the arrest and detention, the Police Public Relations Officer, Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said the NAPO President was in the custody of the Police in Port Harcourt.
Iringe-Koko added that the Command was currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
Meanwhile, the NAPO boss before his incarceration had alerted newsmen that he was being arrested in a meeting with DSS operatives supposedly meant resolved the protracted labour issues with Daewoo.
According to him, he and other officials of NAPO were invited to meeting with the DSS aimed at resolving the labour issue with Daewoo, only for them to be handed over to the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit for arrest.
Benstowe alleged that a Deputy Director of the DSS in Rivers State threatened to shoot him for running an illegal organisation.
He added that NAPO was not an illegal organization, as it was registered on 21/02/1989 with RC5245 by the Corporate Affairs Commission and currently undergoing registration as a trade union with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
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