Nigeria Federal Fire Service an agency of government established to prevent and combat fire outbreaks has been caught in the act of job racketeering, in an action that has helped undermined Nigeria’s civil service to patronage rather than service delivery.
Some of those who allegedly paid money to some agents of the agency told MAWA FOUNDATION that they paid between, N750k and N800k to be given a job slot.
Mr. Abdul who gave only his first name, and comes from the North-West part of the country narrated to MAWA FOUNDATION how he paid the sum of N750k to the agency for a job slot through one of its officials.
Worried that his money may have been taken and no job was given, he was invited to the agency office at Sheda in Kwali Area Council of Abuja where he was captured and was told to wait till November 2020 to be enrolled into the service.
A promise that has since turned out to be fake and no job was given to him.
Another applicant, Mr. Joseph who comes from the southwest part of the country told MAWA FOUNDATION, he paid the sum of N800k to a senior official at the agency recruitment and human resource department to be giving a slot.
At first, I was not having money, and I was advised by the official to pay N400k and later complete the payment.
I paid N400k cash and later N400k making it N800k he told MAWA FOUNDATION.
Mr. Peter, who comes from North Central told MAWA FOUNDATION, he paid N800k for a slot for over eight months and has not been given any job and money not refunded.
MAWA FOUNDATION could not immediately reach out to the Fire Service for a response as Ugo Huan, it spokesperson could not be reached.
Fire Service is not the only offender, many government agencies in Nigeria are in the habit of selling job slots to the highest bidder.
In cases where the jobs are not sold, top government officials including political office holders share the slots and distribute the jobs among friends and relatives.
Those who do not want to give out for free, sell to applicants who are willing to pay the agreed price.