Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigeria Association of Plant Operators, NAPO, has formally escalated allegations of tax deduction and non-remittance fraud linked to the NLNG Train 7 project, petitioning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for a forensic investigation.
NAPO’s President General, Comrade Harold Benstowe, alongside four other officials, appeared at the EFCC Port Harcourt Zonal Office in Port Harcourt, to adopt a petition accusing Daewoo Engineering & Construction Nigeria and others of alleged unlawful tax deductions from workers on the multibillion-dollar NLNG Train 7 gas plant construction project.
According to NAPO, the EFCC received the delegation and guided them through the formal adoption of the petition, paving the way for what the union described as a “proper forensic investigation” into the alleged financial misconduct.
“The EFCC has assured the victims that it will conduct a thorough investigation to get to the root of the matter,” Benstowe said, describing the development as a major step toward accountability in the construction segment of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
From a labour and governance standpoint, the allegations strike at the heart of compliance risks surrounding one of Nigeria’s most strategic gas investments, with potential implications for contractors, regulators and investor confidence in large-scale energy projects.
Benstowe called on workers involved in the NLNG Train 7 project to actively support the investigation by submitting documentary evidence, particularly payslips allegedly showing tax deductions by Daewoo E&C Nigeria.
“We encourage all affected workers to freely come forward with more evidence to assist the EFCC in carrying out a comprehensive investigation,” he said.
He also dismissed reports of intimidation, warning that the union would resist any attempts to suppress whistleblowers.
“All victims should ignore threats or discouragement from any quarters. This is no longer business as usual. We are prepared for a big showdown to ensure everyone involved is brought to book,” Benstowe declared.
The NAPO leader framed the petition as part of a broader struggle for financial transparency and workers’ rights in Nigeria’s oil and gas construction value chain, stressing that the outcome would send a strong signal to contractors operating on high-value energy projects.
As investigations commence, industry observers say the case could test enforcement of tax compliance obligations within Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure projects, particularly at a time when government revenue mobilisation and corporate accountability remain under intense scrutiny.
The NLNG Train 7 project is a cornerstone of Nigeria’s gas expansion strategy, making the unfolding EFCC probe one closely watched by labour unions, regulators and international investors alike.
