General Post Office Marina Suffers Neglect

Six storey- building of the Nigerian Postal Service on Marina Street, Lagos Island is in a dilapidated state. Given that this edifice is old; having given birth to other post offices in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria should have been the reason why the place should be considered as a national relic.
The location of the building on the busy Marina, the commercial nerve of Lagos Island and gateway to the highbrow Victoria Island which hosts many foreign missions makes the building strategic and the cynosure of all eyes. On top of Marina Bridge on the way to or from the Victoria Island, General Post Office is seen standing as an orphan and sandwiched in-between two tall buildings one of which is housing the Royal Exchange Assurance and First Bank of Nig. Plc.
The sharp distinction between this Nipost building and others surrounding it, is its reckless nature portraying that the place has been completely abandoned. It is getting closer the building that one could notice some skirmishes of life and business going on in the place. 
The building hosts some tenants including a new generation bank while most of the floors upstairs are occupied by Nipost staff  who most of the times are seen chatting with one another  in the office while at other times are said to have gone out to buy something .
Trying to go up to the administrative offices upstairs one is directed to the reception and is expected to fill the necessary forms.  In trying to fill the form, it is better one focuses his attention on the paper he is filling than try to look around the so called reception.  The reception is in total dejection from what it ought not to be.  The lift has for so long been dysfunctional but a sign post displaying the name of a servicing company gives a fake impression that the lift is undergoing repairs.
Climbing the staircase, you are greeted by dirty walls and an unkempt surrounding such that a first time visitor to the complex will think twice if business actually goes on there.
Attempt by Nigeria Communications Week to discuss the state of the building with a Nipost employee was rebuffed by the personnel who directed the Correspondent to Abuja to go and find out from Nipost management.
The ground floor of the building where postage stamps, money orders and other services are rendered is now a ghost of its self. People are hardly seen buying stamps over the counter unlike in those days before the explosion of Information Communications Technology where one must join a long queue before he could be attended to.
The post has been described as an important part of the national life. In other countries postal business is serious business and it generates a lot of revenue to governments.
Nipost management should think of better ways to make use of the General Post Office Marina instead of allowing it to waste.  The building is located in a choice area and so much money could be generated if the authorities decide to take more tenants while they reduce the space occupied by their own staff.
Industry watchers have urged federal government in line with the current rebranding initiative of ministry of Information and Communications rebrand General Post Office Marina. 
Now that Nipost management is looking at opportunities to make the organization self-sustaining, its structures scattered around the country should be looked into and those ones that are not serving any useful purpose or are under utilized should be converted to better use.