Against the background of the ongoing industrial action by the National Association of Plant Operators (NAPO) at the Train 7 project site of the Daewoo Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited (DECN), the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has made clarifications on the status of NAPO.

NAPO led by its President General, Harold Benstowe had led workers of DECN on an industrial action to protest the alleged violation of their rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly, illegal deductions from their salaries and arbitrary dismissal of some of its members.

The industrial action, which started on Friday, September 2, 2022, saw the workers picket the Train 7 project site of Daewoo E & C Nigeria Limited and also block the Access Road to the Industrial Area (IA) of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), among other actions.

Reacting to the situation and in response to an enquiry by Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited, Senator Ngige, via a letter tagged “RE: REQUEST FOR THE CLARIFICATION OF THE STATUS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PLANT OPERATORS AS A TRADE UNION AND THEIR POSSIBLE JURISDICTIONAL LIMITS” and signed by the Registrar of Trade Unions in his ministry, Amos Falonipe, clarified the status of NAPO under Nigerian law.

“I am directed to refer to your letter dated 16 September, 2022 on the above subject and to inform you that National Association of Plant Operators is not yet a registered trade union.”

“I am further directed to inform you that the letter under reference from the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria does not confer on the Association the rights and privileges of a registered trade union, since it has not been registered and issued with the certificate of registration by Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.”

Though aimed at resolving the controversies trailing the industrial action embarked upon by NAPO and social tension the crisis created in Bonny Island, the Minister’s letter, curiously, did not confirm or disclaim whether NAPO was actually undergoing the process of registration as claimed by NAPO during its protest.

Reacting to the Minister’s letter, the NAPO President General, Harold Benstowe expressed concern that the same ministry that was responsible for the registration process that has yet to conclude was disclaiming the association’s status as a trade union.

“We have followed through with the process of registering the National Association of Plant Operators (NAPO) as a trade union, our certificate is the only thing remaining and it is the responsibility of the Minister of sign off on it so that the Registrar of Trade Unions can issue it to us.”

Curiously, the same Minister who was yet to sign our certificate is issuing a letter saying that we are not yet registered. We are pleading with him to complete the process for us. We also want the relevant stakeholders to refer to Sections 2 and 12 of the Trade Union Act for clarifications on our position.”

A Memorandum of Understanding issued earlier in the day by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) AND THEIR TWO AFFILIATES, Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESSA) and National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) asked workers on the Train 7 project to return to work.

The MoU further stated that NAPO being an unregistered trade union should desist from causing any industrial crisis on the Train 7 project, urging the workers to identify with CCESSA and NUCECFWW, both of which are affiliates of TUC and NLC.