Fire Service Personnel Cry Out For Accommodation …but Pro Says It’s Work In Progress

Some personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) are lamenting over the unavailability of housing units for the service, a situation which has left some fire officers stranded.

According to the personnel, the service lacks housing units to accommodate them just as other sister security services have done over the years.

They added that, because of the unavailability of the housing units, transfers across the country have been used as a form of punishment for the personnel.

'Though we do not have accommodation units, we do not receive rent allowances. Even when transferred, we do not receive transfer grants, one needs to foot his or her own bill', an aggrieved fire officer stated.

They stated that when transferred from their various stations they are not given transfer grants but would have to pay for everything with their own monies, therefore making life difficult for them. One of the personnel who spoke with the reporter stated that, 'I was not given any transfer grant and I have to foot all the bills form my station in Accra to the Northern part of the country, spending over five hundred cedis on just transporting my belongings'.

Others also averred the service in the past years have not organized refresher courses for them, rendering them static with the old knowledge acquired.

However, speaking to Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, Prince Billy Anaglate, he stated that the issues raised by the personnel were not newly created and have existed since the creation of the service, therefore personnel were already aware of the situation before joining the service.

'This issue has been with us for a long time so it is not new. Those complaining had the opportunity to choose between a number of security services so I don't see why they are complaining now since they were aware of the situation', Anaglate stated.

He added that, it would have been easier for the service to engage in its activities if it has a residential accommodation like the police or military since it would be easy to mobilize men when there is any fire to fight but he believed that since the service did not have them it was essential for the personnel to keep to the conditions of service they agreed to before being commissioned into the service.

The PRO also stated that it was wrong for personnel in a regimental institution like the Fire Service to go to the media in situations like this since the media was not going solve the issues of the service but rather exhaust internal means.

On the issue of refresher courses being organized, Billy Anaglate averred the new administration under the leadership of Dr. Albert Brown Gaisie who is the new Chief Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service after taking over from Brigadier-General John Bosco Guyiri just four months ago has realized the importance of enhancing the ability of personnel and has therfore organized a number of refresher courses.

'Within a short period of four months the current administration has organized some refresher courses to improve on our men's know how. Courses have been held for Station officers, Fire Inspectors, Fire Investigators and there are more to come', he stated.

He also expressed optimism stating that he hopes the current administration would continue with the quest on getting accommodation for personnel though it would be a difficult task.