Group urges probe of ‘unfair distribution’ of NLNG Train 7 contracts

Northern Voices for Equity and Justice (NVEJ) has urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to investigate what it described as the “unfair distribution of ongoing Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Train 7 contracts” across the federation.

The Kabir Ahmed-led group, in a statement, alleged that managers of the project are “deliberately awarding contracts to their proxies, associates and cronies to the exclusion of others.”

The NLNG scheme is to increase the plant’s six processing trains in Bonny to seven and its installed capacity to 30 MPTA.

With the approved vendors’ list exceeding over 300, NVEJ stated that there “are hardly companies from the northern part of Nigeria or business interests that are involved.”

Describing it as a major missing link that continues to fuel the unending divide within the nation’s socio-economic and political structure, the group maintained that the “project remains in excess of $10 billion (N6 trillion).”

NVEJ stated that it is inclusive of Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation and Commission (EPCIC) and would stretch till 2027 or a little beyond if everything goes well.

It continued: “Much as we appreciate and support the participation and capacity-building of our brothers and sisters in the Niger Delta and the entire South, by extension through various projects in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, it has become imperative that these project managers must not look away from other regions.

“In the area of procurement, which is supposedly the low hanging fruit in project execution, the management team must, as a deliberate action, provide opportunities to vendors and contractors alike from the North.”

According to the group, this would enable them to grow their business capacity and provide employment opportunities for the teeming youths scattered all over the landscape.