Staff working on the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Train 7 project have staged a protest in Bonny, Rivers State, over alleged irregular tax deductions.
The demonstration, led by workers under Daewoo Contractors, reportedly began with fitters and welders before spreading to junior staff.
Workers allege they have been subjected to monthly deductions of about N150,000 for tax clearance over the past two years but have yet to receive their Tax Identification Numbers (TINs).
They further claimed that an audit revealed the deducted taxes were not remitted to the federal government, raising concerns about possible mismanagement.
The protesters are demanding both the release of their TINs and a refund of the deductions made over the period.
A pipe welder, who spoke anonymously, told reporters that the protest began on Monday after repeated appeals for clarification went unanswered. He said while the company had requested worker representatives for dialogue, agreed resolutions were never implemented.
Some protesters also accused their union leaders of compromising the matter, alleging they had been aware of the deductions for two years but remained silent because they benefitted from the alleged “illegal taxation.”
NLNG has yet to issue an official response to the workers’ claims.
