The Controller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Adeyemi, has unveiled a Medical Intervention Scheme for personnel and increased the Service’s interest-free loan facility from ₦300,000 to ₦500,000 as part of efforts to improve staff welfare.
Adeyemi announced the initiatives during the inauguration of a Quarter Guard at the Federal Fire Service National Headquarters in Wuse, Abuja.
He said the welfare of officers and men has remained a major focus since he assumed office, stressing that the new measures were introduced to enhance the well-being and motivation of personnel.
“One of the commitments I made to my officers and men was to prioritise the welfare of our workforce,” he said.
The Controller-General also revealed that he declined a planned grand reception organised in his honour by friends and associates, choosing instead to redirect the funds to support firefighters across the country.
“I had to turn down a beautifully crafted grand reception by my friends both at home and in the diaspora. The funds were then used to buy mattresses and other items to support firefighters across Nigeria,” Adeyemi stated.
Speaking on the newly introduced Medical Intervention Scheme, he explained that it was designed to ease the financial burden of healthcare on officers and personnel.
“I also initiated the Medical Intervention Scheme where officers and men under my hand got medical intervention to subsidise medical expenses,” he said.
Adeyemi added that the Service had expanded its interest-free loan programme, increasing the maximum amount accessible to personnel from ₦300,000 to ₦500,000.
He noted that the welfare reforms have significantly boosted staff morale, pointing to the voluntary construction of the newly inaugurated Quarter Guard by officers without any directive from the Service’s leadership.
“Little did I know that these packages were a door to the heart and soul of my workforce, which has translated into one of the most motivated workforces in Nigeria and my bragging right,” he said.
Describing the initiative as unprecedented, Adeyemi said the gesture demonstrated the confidence officers have in the current leadership.
“For the first time in the history of our Service, officers have chosen to leave a lasting legacy, not because they were instructed to do so, but because they believe in the vision and direction of the Federal Fire Service,” he added.
The Controller-General further directed the Chairman of the Controller-General’s Awards Committee, DCG M.A. Tambari, to document the Quarter Guard project and other outstanding contributions by officers nationwide for formal recognition.
The Federal Fire Service has in recent years faced concerns over the welfare of personnel, particularly regarding access to medical support and financial assistance. The latest reforms form part of broader efforts by the Service to improve working conditions, strengthen staff morale and enhance institutional commitment.
