The Postmaster General of the
Federation, Mallam Ibrahim Mori Baba said that the Nigerian courier services
are faced with enormous challenges especially in its operation in Nigeria due to the
interference from government agencies and absence of appropriate legislation.
This position was made known in a chat with DigitalSENSE Business News at
the 3rd Nigerian Courier Summit in Lagos with the theme ‘emergent
issues in Nigerian courier industry’, stressing that the aspect of regulation
is the job of the Ministry of Communication Technology that is only assigned to
NIPOST.
Baba explained that what is
needed in the industry is an independent regulator like those of the telecom
and banking sectors, while NIPOST will
be saddled with the responsibility of processing and delivering mails in the country.
Speaking in the same vein, the
Chairman of Silver Bird Television, Mr Ben Murray Bruce, who is the guest
speaker said that NIPOST is not a viable organisation and not strong enough to
deliver postal service even with the 2,000 location, 10,000 workforce and still
depending on government for survival and advised that federal government should
privatise NIPOST with 60 per cent going to the private sector.
Bruce lamented that other
teething problems in the industry stem from two bodies, Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc. (NAHCO)
charging differently in the same service, instituting multiple charges at every
airport nationwide for the use of the airport by courier operators, while some
state governments ban motor cycles that are needed in courier services from the
roads.
The Managing Director Ebony
Express, Mr Okey Uba informed DigitalSENSE
Business News that courier services in Nigeria are in great distress
because of the feature of the environment, lack of continuity of the scheme, infringement
and unhealthy competition in the industry that makes the courier service to
collapse as soon as they come up.
Earlier in the Keynote address,
the Minister of Communication Technology,Mrs Omobola Johnson represented by the
Director Post Telecom Nigeria, Engr. John Ayodele said that ministry is making
effort to fast track the approval of a
National Addressing System as well as a Postal Reform Bill which will be of
great benefits to the post, courier, security, national planning and other
stakeholders.
Anthony
Nwakaegho/GEE
DigitalSENSE Business News
... Making SENSE of digital revolution!
pix; Postmaster General of the Federation, Mallam Ibrahim Mori Baba
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