Retired Fire officers allege corruption against Chief Fire Officer

Some former officers of the Ghana National Fire Service across the country are lacing up their boots to face-off with the current leadership of the Service for its failure to account for some monies owed them.

The retired staff, made up of chief fire officers, regional commanders and those of other ranks, say a special fund was established four years ago in which all categories of active personnel contributed GHC5 into every month to assist retired personnel.

But the retired personnel are alleging the current Chief Fire Officer, Dr Albert Brown Gaisie and his administration have failed to account for monies accrued from the fund for their benefit The retired staff are alleging misappropriation of the fund by the current administration.

“It’s been 4 years but we don’t know where the money is. We want to know how that money is being used. The former Interior Minister and the new one are aware. We need to know where that money is and how it is being used for,”

Former Central and Eastern Regional Fire Commander, Bartholomew Kofi Nketia Retd said on Onua FM’s Ghana Dadwene on Tuesday. Mr. Nketia further alleged personnel of the Service who have served for long are being sidelined in promotions, noting “it is undermining discipline in the Service”.

He claimed that those who are not in the books of the Dr. Brown Gaisie are not promoted, alleging the Chief Fire Officer has given several jobs to one person even though there are divisions in job.

Illness

Again, he alleged that though Dr. Gaisie has not been well for the past two years, he is still at post.

“He is carried in a wheel chair to the office so how can such a person work. If he is sitting down, you will think he is fit but he is not,” he claimed, adding “a fire man should be physically fit”.

Interior Ministry backing

Mr. Nketia said the chief fire officer has the strong backing of the Interior Ministry, because the ministry is aware yet it has done nothing. The situation, he said, is hindering the work and “if we do not rise up for the nation to know what is going on, it will destroy the Service”.