Many trainees of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) undergoing training in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are struggling with high transportation costs due to the lack of government-provided allowances.
FIJ has learned that the federal government is expected to provide training allowances for newly recruited fire service personnel. However, months into their training, the trainees have not received any financial support and remain uncertain if such allowances will be disbursed.
The trainees began their documentation in December and reported to the Dutse area of Kubwa, the designated training ground, in January.
“They are normally supposed to be camped, fed, and paid allowances throughout the training period. Instead, they have been left to fend for themselves, with no provision for transportation,” a source, who wished to remain anonymous, disclosed.
The trainees are required to report to the training ground twice a week, with training days varying according to their entry level. However, those who live far from the venue spend between N5,000 and N10,000 daily on transportation—amounting to N20,000 weekly and N80,000 monthly.
This financial strain has forced many to borrow money just to keep attending training sessions.
“As a trainee, I don’t have concrete proof that the government will pay us any allowances at the end of the training. But I won’t lie to you—this has been tough. The cost of transport across the country is high. The instructors are doing their best in training us, but we can only hope everything will be sorted out after the training,” one trainee said.
Another trainee added, “When we resumed, there was no communication about allowances or a welfare package from the government. There is no accommodation provided, which is why we are spending so much on transportation.”
“We don’t have a choice. We just have to keep going. Sometimes, there’s no money, and you have to borrow. From January to March, many of us have already spent a fortune on transport.”
Despite their dedication, the financial burden continues to weigh heavily on the trainees, leaving them uncertain about their future support from the government.
