BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKNOV 09, 2020
Astaff of the Federal Fire Service has died while sourcing funds to pay the medical bill of his wife as the agency continues to owe months of salary arrears.
The staff, who was an Assistant Inspector of Fire, General Duty, died while looking for money to pay the hospital bill after his wife was delivered of a baby.
A source, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said the staff of the Federal Fire Service was forced to borrow a motorcycle from his friend to raise money as the agency was yet to pay two months’ salary arrears.
“He was an AIF in the squad and he died in the last week of October. The wife gave birth and he could not pay the hospital bill.
“He went to borrow a motorcycle from a friend for him to raise some money to pay for the hospital bill and give the wife money.
“Unfortunately, he was hit by a car while looking for the hospital bill for his wife.
“If they (Federal Fire Service) had paid his salary as at when due, he will not find himself in the situation that he is unable to pay delivery fee and a car knocking him to death,” the source said.
Some staff, who confirmed the death of their colleague to SaharaReporters, also said the agency was yet to pay the two-month salary arrears.
They, however, revealed that the agency had credited their pension accounts while the main salary was yet to be paid.
One of the staff at the Abuja office said, “My pension fee for September and October has been paid and we have not been paid the main salary.
“They have not told us the main reason they are not paying our salary.
“Where did they get the money to pay for pension when they claim no money to pay salaries?”