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Train 7: Bonny Kingdom Leadership Moves to Resolve Salary Wahala, Set New Benchmark

By Emmanuel Nwafor

Dec 7, 2021

In a bold move to address growing concerns about the salary structure relating to ongoing construction projects including the Nigeria LNG Train 7 project billed to fully kick off by second quarter of 2022, the leadership of Bonny Kingdom has met with stakeholders to review the existing remuneration templates being used by companies and their contractors.

This was disclosed in a joint communique issued by the Bonny Kingdom Local Content and Compliance Committee BKLCCC) and the Bonny Kingdom Youth and Employment Committee (BKYEC) after a meeting on Saturday, November 13, 2021, with stakeholders at the Ibanise Hall, Akiama, Bonny.

Chairman, Bonny Kingdom Local Content and Compliance Committee, Amaopusenibo Opuada Willie-Pepple

The meeting, which had in attendance representatives of all labour unions and associations in charge of construction workers in Bonny Kingdom, was aimed at addressing the poor salary structure of workers in different construction projects in Bonny LGA.

According to the communique, the meeting, among other things reviewed the remuneration system against the cost of living, inflation and other factors that impact on the earnings of workers in Bonny Island, and came out with a position that the baseline salary for Level 1 workers, also referred to as Helpers, should now be N336,000 per month.   

It was also resolved that the various unions can negotiate higher than the agreed baseline amount but must not go below that amount for the Level 1 workers, adding that implementation of the new salary structure with newly established baseline salary would take effect from Saturday, January 1, 2022.

The communique said a review of the salary structure was anchored on the following considerations:

“1) The current salary computation was based on the 2015 National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) agreement, which has now been rendered redundant in contrast with the astronomical cost of living and inflation rate in Nigeria and Bonny Island;

Managing Director, Nigeria LNG, Dr. Philip Mshelbila

2) The  SCD-JV won the NLNG Train 7 bid in dollars, being an international project, that met all global practices, including the remuneration of workers, and were calculated in the USD minimum wage ($8 per hour) or Europe the home of Saipem, the JV lead (€7 per hour).

3) The construction of NLNG Train 7 is riskier than that of trains 1-6. This is occasioned by the size of the project and the environment which consists of six LNG processing plants and gas pipelines carrying inflammables and crisscrossing the workplace.

4) The NLNG Train 7 project is not pensionable. This means community workers will be engaged on casual basis. It is important to emphasize that the Global Charter on employment frowns strongly against casualization of workers; and that where casualization becomes inevitable, the employer shall pay adequate and commensurate remuneration to mitigate the negative impact of casualization, especially after the construction.”

L-R: Managing Director of Daewoo Nigeria Limited, Yeongsoep Jung, and the acting Managing Director of Saipem Contracting Nigeria, Walter Paviani, during a meeting in Government House, Port Harcourt, recently.

In a telephone interview with Kristina Reports, Chairman of the BKLCCC, Amaopusenibo Opuada Willie-Pepple explained that the move became imperative due to the concern of the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom for the welfare of his people, stressing that “a King who loves his people this much cannot sit and watch them suffer. He has to move to address the issue in the interest of his people”.

He further emphasized that the aim of establishing the BKLCCC and other critical kingdom institutions is for the interest of Bonny people, noting that “our dear King is intentional about protecting the interest of his subjects and expanding the opportunities they have to earn a decent living for themselves”.

In recent times, there has been growing anxiety over the earnings of workers in different project sites on the island, which was amplified by the onset of the NLNG Train 7 project.

Many have applauded the move by the BKLCCC and BKYEC for taking the gauntlet to address the issues under review.

A construction worker, who spoke to Kristina Reports in confidence, praised the leadership of Bonny Kingdom for rising to the occasion and coming to the aid of workers by intervening on the matter, appealing to the various companies on the island to key into the new salary structure so that workers’ earnings will be commensurate with the work they put in and also serve as motivation to put in more.

14 Comments

  1. Archibald T jumbo

    Work well-done, OUR FATHER AND KING, BKLCCC and BKYEC

  2. Green Winston Waribo

    That’s music to my ears.
    Please Bonny people have suffered to enrich these multinationals.

    • Raphael Adokiye Hart

      This is what we need to be hearing. A good step into changing the lives of the Bonny People and the nation at large.

    • Rowland Jumbo

      Fantastic development. That salary benchmark of N336,000 for helpers is indeed commendable.

  3. David Jaja

    Thanks to God for coming to our problem we can’t wait for it

  4. Sunny-White Jumbo

    Better Days Ahead

  5. RUDOLPH GREEN

    This is very very commendable. But my question is, why will a skilled Bonny son and daughter be at home without employment meanwhile people will be flocking into Bonny island to work? At times you hear those coming in saying that they were called to come to the employment b.. to start work. For me to get a job as a Bonny youth I have to pay and for my payment to be accepted I have to answer another tribal name so that those in charge will not know. This is the trend in Bonny Kingdom, for those SELFISH AND GREEDY THIEVES to give you a job it’s like them gifting you a #150,000 because that’s what they sell a job slot. So they will not and will prefer selling it to the non-natives to enrich themselves. Please the Bonny Leadership should turn attention to these ugly trend by the Bonny employment b… Thanks.

  6. ABBEY JULIUS

    Please I will like to meet with our Amaopusenibo Opuada Willie-People the chairman of the BKLCCC. Have got a pressing issue to discuss with him.

  7. RICHARD SOTONYE PEPPLE.

    GOOD ONE IN A RIGHTFUL DIRECTION, BUT ONE SIGNIFICANT THING IS ACTUALLY MISSING; HOW ABOUT THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF OUR BELOVED KINGDOM WORKING WITH THESE MAINTENANCE COMPANIES WITH NLNG? WHAT WILL BE THEIR FATE BECAUSE IT IS NOT ALSO A PENSIONABLE JOB? WHAT IS GOOD FOR PAUL, WILL ALSO BE BETTER FOR PETER.

  8. Charles E. Hart.

    Indeed a right step in the right direction. Please Amaopusenibo the renumeration of those in maintenance under NLNG should also be looked into. It’s so so poor considering the present harsh economy, especially on the island. God 🙏 bless you sir.

    • Christopherson Allison

      This is a right and valuable step taken by the Kingdom. Long may our King live

  9. Name *Christy

    Commendable comments that needs to be addressed asap.

  10. Moses Michael Onobumeh

    I am a HND graduate of Financial Accounting from Bida Poly. I came in here during the lock down after my NYSC and HSE with Novelle certificates had been given to me. I came here to also work but I’ve not seen the workers around my area living well and I’ve been praying. For now am teaching Financial Accounting at Ibi-Tamuno and people have been misinformed for a long time here. For what the King and it’s members has done. They’ll enjoy so much favour and developmental projects from visitors like us who would set up businesses that would employ people even after the train 7 is over. Thanks, I’m happy for Bonny Kingdom. Long live King David People A.(if am not mistaken) of this Kingdom!

  11. Obodo Princewill

    This indeed is a very good development that’s worthy of emulation by all other communities in the Niger Delta.