Bruce, Ugokwe to Champion Passage of Postal Bill

Ben Murray Bruce, Silverbird chairman and Dr. Jerry Sonny Ugokwe are to champion the lobby for the passage the National Postal Policy and Nigeria Postal Service Bill, a set of all important documents touted as transformative for the postal industry.

The policy and bill have been embroiled in web of claims and counter charges nine years after stakeholders began moves to rejig the industry.

But rising from the 3rd Nigeria Courier Summit organised by the Courier Regulatory Department (CRD) under the Nigeria Postal Service, Monday, industry stakeholders, agreed on the need to put extra pressure to ensure the passage of the bill.

The bill will create a level playing ground for all stakeholders.
 
In the Communiqué signed by Mallam Ibrahim Baba, postmaster-general of the Federation and Okay Uba, managing director, Ebony Express and head of the rapporteur, the players highlighted that the industry is in dire need of an independent regulator to cater for the well-being of the industry while creating a link between the industry and other stakeholders within and outside the country.
 
The courier operators in the communiqué also called for the speedy review of ban on motorcycles by some State Governments, which contradicts the provisions of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). Nigeria is a signatory to UPU.
 
They also called for the harmonization of Federal, State and Local Government taxes as they affect courier industry, hinting that the burdensome-multifaceted taxation has led to the shrinking of courier industry to less than 200.
 
The industry players, especially the private companies decried the recent increase in licensing and renewal fees in percentage running over 300, calling for speedy downward review.