Fire has engulfed a section of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt destroying some property.

Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Information, Dr Honour Sirawoo, confirmed the incident saying fire fighters intervened immediately to stop the inferno.

It was gathered that the inferno started at the ground floor of one of the tall buildings popularly called the Podium after the close of work and spread to the office of the newly constituted Rivers State Pension Board.

Sources said the fire started around 4.00pm and was reportedly caused by an electrical fault, though there was no casualty.

Rivers Head of Service, Dr Inyinge Brown, confirmed that no life was lost saying she was happy that the recently rehabilitated State Fire Service was on ground to quench the fire.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, has attributed the recent spike in cooking gas prices to the temporary halt in operations caused by the strike action of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

Ojulari emphasized that the industrial action disrupted loading and distribution for several days, creating an artificial price surge.

“The increase you saw was relatively artificial because during the strike, movement and loading were delayed by about two to three days,” he explained.

“As operations normalise, it will take a little time for distribution and pricing to stabilise.”

He also accused some retailers of exploiting the brief supply gap to inflate prices, noting that “some people with existing stock took advantage of the situation to raise prices.”

Ojulari assured Nigerians that cooking gas prices would gradually return to pre-strike levels as supply chains recover.

The strike, triggered by the dismissal of Nigerian workers at the Dangote Refinery, disrupted fuel and gas operations nationwide before it was suspended on October 1 following federal government intervention.

The Dangote Group later agreed to reinstate the affected workers, paving the way for normal operations and stabilisation of gas prices.

The management of the National Assembly has cautioned aggrieved parliamentary workers against carrying out their planned protest and picketing of the complex as lawmakers resume plenary on Tuesday.

The warning followed threats by some members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria to embark on industrial action over alleged unresolved welfare and constitutional issues affecting staff.

In a circular issued on Sunday by the Secretary, Human Resources and Staff Development, Essien Eyo Essien, on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, the management warned that any attempt to disrupt legislative activities would attract severe disciplinary measures.

Essien stated, “It must be emphasised that membership of PASAN or any union is entirely voluntary.

Any staff member, whether an executive or regular member, who is dissatisfied with the conduct of union affairs may freely withdraw their membership in accordance with established rules.”

He explained that within seven months of assuming office, the current management had embarked on several administrative reforms aimed at improving efficiency and boosting staff morale.

Essien further warned, “In light of recent developments, the Management hereby instructs all Staff to ignore any calls for industrial action, including ‘work-to-rule’ or ‘unlawful picketing’.

Your safety and security within the National Assembly Complex are assured, and we urge you to proceed with your official duties without any fear or intimidation.”