Nipost Handles 500Bn Mails Yearly

 Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) is handling 500 billion mails annually since its inception 139 years ago, said Dr Amadu Ali, former national chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ali disclosed this during a public presentation of a book, ``Reforming the Post in Nigeria’’ in Abuja on recentl.,

Represented by Mr. Yacim Bitiyong, deputy postmaster-general and head, Territorial Administration, Ali said the strategy of postal reform should be adopted.

According to him, NIPOST had facilitated the delivery of mails at a prepared uniform rate and employed more than seven million people in the country.

He added that NIPOST network was linked to countries of the world under the auspices of the universal postal union.

Ali, therefore, urged the organisation to put in place measures to embrace change in the postal industry for efficient service.

The chairman said the process of change was continuum as the market which it depended and would never stop changing.

Ali said that postal reform should be perceived as a means to satisfy categories of customers and guarantee financial viability of the postal enterprise.

“We must embrace change, learn to live with it and learn how to use it to our advantage and to the benefit of our customers.

“We must realise that the postal sector, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, is at a critical juncture.

“ If nothing is done and status quo is maintained, then, it is likely that the sector will continue to erode as competitors and other communications media take over the market.

“If we are to catch up with the state of postal service in other regions of the world, we will have to see to it that the rate of processing is doubled,’’ Ali said.

He said the state of postal service in Sub-Saharan Africa was less than ideal and called for remedial and durable measures to improve the system.

Mr. Nathaniel Zome, former postmaster-general and Author of the book, said that post was not a tele-device system and that not all messages could be sent by phone, especially written communication documents.

Zome said that written documents with addresses would either be received or delivered by post, saying that the objective of post was to deliver messages.

He stressed that the use of ICT had enhanced the service of Nipost, saying that the Internet was, however, limited in the number of facilities provided.

He said that baggage on ground could not be sent by the Internet.

Ibrahim Baba, postmaster-general, said until the last lives on the earth, the post would continue to be relevant because people would continue to receive and send messages, especially hard copies.

“There are messages that one cannot receive or sent by the Internet. So, the post office will continue to be significant,’’ Baba said.