Nipost Scales Down District Offices

Nigeria Postal Service (Nipost) has shut down some of its district offices across the country as it moves to reduce cost and improve efficiency.

Nipost district offices nationwide is now 89 down from 106 as the government-owned and operated corporation battled for relevance in the face of the sweeping changes in the information and communications technology space.

Malam Ibrahim Muri Baba, postmaster general of the Federation on a familiarization tour of  Owerri, Imo state said the decision to scale down the districts had taken effect immediately.

Muri Baba said that the move was aimed at bringing efficiency to the system and urged staff of Nipost  to welcome the development adding that that the zonal structure of the postal service would be in line with the reduction.

Also, from this month, all the staff of service should expect their salary payment from the centralized system of the Accountant General of the Federation office.

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek recalled that NIPOST had commissioned the use of E-Wallet billed to enable staff carry less cash, which is in accordance with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) cashless economy policy.

The Postmaster General stated that the innovation will enable the agency to have more money in the system, and even obtain loans from financial institutions when desirable .

He said: “If we want better pay, we should talk about commercialization.”

Mori Baba  said he would be remembered for his penchant interest to put in place functional community hub that would use Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the rural areas of the country to enable their customers access service easily.

“I want to be remembered with ensuring that all the post offices will become community centres, serving those who do not have opportunity.

“We want post offices to serve those that are not being served because we are in the information technology age. Community offices, I call them, will be able to provide the infrastructure in the rural areas. That is what I want to be remembered for,” he added.