Against expectations that the Train 7 project would bring big value to the local economy of Bonny Island, developments in the area since the commencement of the project suggests otherwise.

The Train 7 project, which is valued at about $10billion is expected to ramp up the capacity of the current 6-Train gas liquefaction plant of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) by 35% from the extant 22 Million Tonnes Per Annum (mtpa) to 30mtpa, was flagged off by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 in Bonny Island.  

Aside about $5billion foreign direct investment (FDI) the project is supposed to attract to the country, its impact on the Bonny local economy is supposed to be indicated by the creation of 10,000 direct jobs and about 40,000 indirect employment opportunities, as well as provide jobs for contractors, fabricators, logistics companies and more.

Curiously, the project, which was recently rated 30% complete by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Management Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote, appears not to have benefitted the community yet except something is done to interfere with the current trajectory of things.

One of the indicators that all is not well for indigenes and residents of Bonny Island is the resort to subjecting workers on the Train 7 project to walking long distances on foot to and from work and be paid N1,000 per day for the trekking instead providing buses to convey them to and from work.

Another indicator, according to findings by Kristina Reports, is the outsourcing of even the most insignificant of contracts to non-indigenous companies, especially, those operating outside Bonny Island.

Checks with the lead project manager, SCD JV (Saipem, Chiyoda and Daewoo Joint Venture) yielded no results as no responses were given to Kristina Reports enquiries.

Same with the Bonny Kingdom Local Content Compliance Committee (BKLCCC), which has yet to reply to enquiries as to whether, as the local content community manager, it was aware that workers were being compelled to trek long distances to work instead being provided with buses to convey them to work and lower value contracts for supplies and other items being outsourced to non-indigenous contracts not on site in Bonny.

A community stakeholder, who preferred anonymity, hinted Kristina Reports that the policy of paying workers N1,000 per day instead of providing them with a bus for them was a manifestation of modern day slavery, wondering “how can such a thing even happen? What do they take Bonny people for?”

“Just go to any of the entrance points to the project site and see the multitude of workers trekking to or from work in the morning and evenings. Is this the train 7 they said would be a big benefit to Bonny Kingdom?”

Some workers who spoke with Kristina Reports expressed divergent views on the situation, while some okayed the N1,000 daily payment as a top up for the inadequate salary regime they were receiving on the project, some expressed disgust over the policy.

A rope access technician, who does want his name mentioned, said “my brother look at it this way, we’re being paid next to nothing, even by the standards of Trains 1 to 6, if we’re getting N1k a day for trekking, so be it oh”.

“At least, if I trek for 26 working days, that is N26,000 added to my salary, anyhow, at all, at all, n aim bad pass. Let’s be managing it like. It’s trekking nobody will die.”

Disagreeing with him, a rigger, who also preferred anonymity, lamented that “we are being reduced to mere slaves on a project they said we’re going to benefit from. Imagine forcing us to trek from different parts of the town to site”.

“Check the distance from Willbros junction or Finima roundabout or Workers Camp, imagine how far one has to trek to get to where one is working. Worst part is that you’re given a miserable N1k for all the trekking, more like rubbing in the paltry payment one gets at the end of the month.”

As the arguments for and against the policy of trekking for N1,000 rages on, it is up to the authorities and various stakeholders to take a second look at the policy with a view to determining whether it was the best business decision for Train 7 project implementers to take in the circumstance.  

According to a concerned indigene of the area, who does not want to be named, some of the issues to consideration include abridging opportunities for local contractors to earn income through the provision of buses to convey workers, fuelling the vehicles, as well as the comfort of the workers.