The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) management has settled its fuel indebtedness GHC500,307.24 to fuel stations across the country as at December 2015, a press release from the Service has stated.

The release sought to explain issues which the Command of the GNFS pointed out has been misinterpreted and which needs clarification, it added.

Regarding welfare dues, the release pointed out that “GHC15.00 is paid by all officers of the Service and is managed by Welfare Fund Executives elected by the officers themselves. Command of the Service, therefore has nothing to do with the Welfare Fund, even though an audited account is periodically submitted as spelt out in the constitution. There is a Governing Council which is made up of representatives from the Regions. Decisions taken by the Council are disseminated to officers throughout the country by the representatives.”

Deductions for the provident fund, the release went on, “started in 2013 after the Welfare Executives had toured the country with the managers of the Fund, CDH Financial Holdings Limited, to make presentations on the benefits to officers.”

Officers were given the option to either join or opt out as a result of which some Officers from Ashanti Region opted out.

Thirty Ghana Cedis (GHC30.00) is deducted from personnel’s salary as Life Insurance for all officers to cushion firefighters who sustain injuries or lose their lives in the line of duty, the GNFS stated, adding that this started from 2001 with an initial deduction of Ten Ghana Cedis (GHC10.00).

No staff, since the inception of the GNFS in 1963, has ever received a rent allowance, the release explained but added that “frantic efforts are being made to secure this allowance for personnel. Command of the Service is, therefore, awaiting a response from the Fair Wages Commission for payment of the allowance after all proposals regarding the subject matter are discussed.”

Since January 2016, Forty-Two (42) officers (Senior and Junior) have separated from the Service through deaths (12), dismissal (5), voluntary retirement (4), compulsory retirement (20) and resignation (1) the management has said.

On promotion, the management said “since 2014 a total of Four Thousand, Nine Hundred, and Ninety-Eight (4998) Junior Officers have been promoted out of a total of Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Two (5862). Additionally, the Fire Service Council has approved the promotion of One Thousand, Five Hundred (1,500) Junior Officers who sat for the 2016 promotion exams effective 1st August 2016.”