Niger recently used a private audit to recover tens of millions of dollars of inflated costs and unfair charges by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).
In Chad, the New York Times reported, the oil minister shut down CNPC’s in mid-August because the company contaminated ditches near the capital N’Djamena with crude, and ordered local workers to remove it without regard to safety and health protection.
For the infractions, the Chad oil minister expelled CNPC’s local director-general and his assistant, and refused to allow the company to restart operations.
In Gabon, the government withdrew a permit for an oil field from a subsidiary of China state-owned company Sinopec.
Gabon officials accused Sinopec of environmental violations and mismanagement, the NYT said.
An official from Niger’s oil ministry, Mahaman Gaya, said his country is now keeping a close watch on the Chinese.
Other African countries are being more assertive than ever, holding the Chinese accountable for budgets and corporate practices.
‘Niger’s lesson is being applied elsewhere as well,’ the New York Times said. ‘African governments, grateful as they are for Chinese-built roads and ministry buildings, are no longer passive partners.’
