"Gosts" Collect Salary

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has been turned into a gold mine by certain Senior Fire Officers (SFOs) who, for several years, have been drawing salaries of absentee fire officers who have since left the service. For the past three or more years, names of three such absentee firemen have been left on the pay roll of the Suhum Station of the GNFS in the Eastern Region.

The officers, Lieutenant Tsidi Dickson, Sub Officer Seth Britwum and Ado Angelina Nortey, are allegedly ghost workers whose names are being maintained with the connivance of the District Fire Officer who supervises the monthly withdrawals of their salaries, from the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) Suhum.

Investigations conducted by The Weekend Heritage revealed that a commulative amount of not less than ?1bn, including allowances, have been siphoned into private pockets which, according to very reliable sources, must include that of the DFO.

According to our investigations Lt. Dickson, was recruited into the service in 1993 and is currently on a monthly Salary of ?1,389.99, excluding allowance and other benefits.

Tsidi, having worked with the service for 12 years, decided to seek greener pastures in the United States but did not resign his position.

The Weekend Heritage’s snooping at the Suhum district fire Office revealed that since the officer left in 2000 his Salary has regularly been collected every month but as to who this collector is remains a mystery.

On Sub officer Britwum, who enlisted in 1995, The Weekend Heritage gathered that even though the officer was reported ill some three years ago, he is living a luxurious life in Accra and still drawing his monthly salary from Suhum Ghana Commercial Bank.

When The Weekend Heritage contacted the DFO Dwomo Ageyekum at Suhum he, was non-committal to our questions beyond the disclosure that Britwum was admitted at the mental hospital Accra about three years ago but was discharged later.

According to him Britwum's Uncle told him that the illness was spiritual and that he had taken his nephew to a spiritualist for treatment. "I asked him to produce evidence that he was ill and was with a spiritualist receiving treatment, but all efforts proved futile", he stressed.

But when asked why he was still receiving salary even though he was alleged to be staying in Accra, no answer was forthcoming.

On Addo Angelia Nortey who joined the service in 1990, The Weekend Heritage learnt that even though she was admitted at the mental hospital several years ago she is believed to be now well, doing her own business in Accra but collect's her salary as a fire officer every month.

At the Headquarters the Deputy Chief Officer (Administration) displayed total astonishment at our revelations but assured this reporter that he would do every possible to bring the perpetrators to book.

He said the Fire Service only got to know that Tsidi was not at post in a letter dated May 15, 2003 written by the DFO of Suhun requesting for his dismissal.

He said that he was about to write to the DFO to find whether an embargo was placed on his salary.

The Weekend Heritage also gathered at Suhum that the DFO who is supposed to stay at his duty station, rather resides at Koforidua and commutes daily to and from Suhum using official vehicle and free petrol.

The Weekend Heritage gathered that the scam at Suhum is just the tip of the iceberg.

We are still monitoring other alleged illegal activities in the Fire Service in parts of Greater Accra and will keep you posted on developments.

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