Many of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) trainees undergoing training at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are groaning due to high transportation costs.

FIJ learnt that the federal government is supposed to make provisions for training allowance for the newly recruited fire service personnel. However, the trainees have not received a dime from the government and are unsure about whether such allowances will be disbursed.

These trainees began their documentation in December and reported at the Dutse area of Kubwa, where the training ground is located, in January.

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“They are normally supposed to be camped, fed and paid allowances throughout the training period. Instead, they have been made to go for the training without any provision for transportation,” a source who does not want to be named disclosed.

FIJ understands that the fire service trainees are meant to report at the training ground twice a week. And training days vary according to their entry level.

Some of the trainees who live far from the training ground spend between N5,000 and N10,000 a day on transportation, which amounts to N20,000 weekly and N80,000 per month.

Some are even forced to borrow, and this has left them financially drained.

“As a trainee, I don’t have a concrete proof on whether the government will pay us any allowances at the end of the training or not. But I won’t lie to you. There are some little difficulties. The cost of transport in the country is on the high side everywhere. The instructors are doing their best in terms of the training. Maybe after the whole training everything will be settled,” said one of the trainees.

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Another trainee said, “When we resumed, there was no communication about allowances or welfare package from the government during the duration of the training. There is nothing like accommodation, which is why people are spending money on transport.

“We don’t have a choice. We just have to keep going. Sometimes, there will be no money and you have to borrow. From January to March, some of us would have spent a fortune on transport by now.”

Efforts to get comments from the Federal Fire Service were unsuccessful as the email sent to the government agency on Friday had not been responded to.