NIPOST Needs Improved Funding to Sanitise Courier Sector- Emeje

Dr. Simon Emeje, senior assistant postmaster general of the federation, has called for improved funding for the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) to intensify the fight against illegal courier operators and other irregularities in the sector.

Dr. Emeje, made the remark while announcing the clampdown on two alleged illegal courier operators- Kunga-Rock and Nations Delivery Service, both located in Ikeja area of Lagos.

He said that practitioners in the courier/postal sector must be regarded as critical partners in the fight against insecurity in the country, hence unregistered operators must be stopped.

The head of CRD did not give figures on the amount spent so far on ridding the sector of irregularities, he however, pleaded with the federal government and other well-meaning Nigerians to persuade the National Assembly to pass the Postal Reforms Bill and for increased funding of the Service.

He said, "The Nigerian courier sector requires all hands be on deck to sanitise the industry. We have been engaged on fight five times larger than the resources we have. But the resilience of the staff is paying off. Through our efforts banned commodities have been intercepted at the airport. The truth is that we need more funding and improved working equipment to win this fight.

"Nevertheless, we must salute the help of government agencies like the DSS, NDLEA, FAAN and the Nigeria Police. Like the clampdown on Kunga-Rock and the Nations Delivery Service couldn't have been easy without the assistance of the Police".

According to Emeje, the clampdown was necessitated by surveillance reports on nefarious activities of the unregistered companies.

Similarly, CRD, an arm of NIPOST responsible for the regulation of courier activities in the country, said that licenced of fourteen (14) formerly registered operators, have been revoked.

Dr. Emeje explained that the revocation was carried out after window of opportunity to renew their licences expired.

He listed the fourteen courier operators as: Abia City Express; Baxglobal Intercontinental Express Limited; Darkley Express Courier Service; Ezex Courier Services Limited; Gulf Agency & Shipping; Hand2Hand Courier Limited and Helpline Handling & Logistics.

Others are Interline Shipping Limited; Mast Logistics Limited; Nedlink Courier; Pacific Logistics International Limited; Palsy-Walsy Limited; Purpleblue Courier Services Limited and Roadmarks Nigeria Limited.

"It pains us when courier operators fail to renew their licences, because we don't wish that any of them should close shop. It amount to lose of jobs and revenue. But, we took the steps as stated by the law. They were given four to five years window of opportunity to renew their licences.

"Therefore, we advise members of the public not to patronise the above listed operators because they have lost touch with regulatory realities. Same time, we need the public to assist in sanitising the industry by patronising only the approved operators", the Head of CRD, adding that the number of registered operators in the country has now reduced to 269.