Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) has immense potential to contribute substantially not only towards revenue generation but the overall revival and perpetual sustainability of the Nigerian economy. But it has not made any meaningful impact in this regard and is therefore seen as a sleeping giant.The challenges before NIPOST include an inefficient management structure; low level of investment, especially in ICT; vast but obsolete infrastructure and facilities; poorly motivated workforce particularly the junior staff and unredeemed pension payments; occasional loss and violation of mail items; intense competition from alternative courier service providers; uneviable public image and dysfunctional internal system.In a bid to give bite to the organization, President Muhammadu Buhari, recently approved the appointment of Barr. Asiwaju Bisi Adegbuyi as Post-Master General/Chief Executive Officer of NIPOST. At his inauguration, the Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, charged Adegbuyi to initiate steps to rejuvenate the parastatal.The minister directed him to chart a new direction towards re-awakening and re-positioning NIPOST which he described as the sleeping giant, not just to become one of the elite parastatals of government but a world class business conglomerate of all time.While outlining areas of focus to the newly appointed post-master general, Shittu said: Most critical is the implementation of the National Addressing Policy.As obtained in more organised societies, we should bring some sanity to the numbering of all kinds of buildings, especially in our urban and semi urban settlements.This will ensure that mails are delivered faster and cheaper. Besides, a credible National Addressing Policy would aid planning and internal security.The full implementation of the Stamp Duties Act is overdue. Records indicate that NIPOST earned N4.87 billion in 2013 with a little scratch of the stamp duties rates.I am confident that with efficient management of this revenue source, we can add over a trillion naira to governments purse in a year.He further tasked the NIPOST management to carry out robust and urgent reform to deliver on the promise for a new and efficient NIPOST, as well as to restore the public confidence in the countrys postal system.This is in addition to creating an enabling and competitive environment where independent regulation will thrive and also allow for broadening the scope and depth of services, including productive financial services as agent banking, savings mobilization, payment and funds transfer system for the entire country through the vast and expanded postal network, in well over 2,500 locations across the country.The Federal Government intends to align the postal sector with global developments in information and communication technology and electronic commerce, clearly institutionalizing commercial practices in the sector in collaboration with private and institutional investors, he stated.The minister further charged Adegbuyi to use the vantage position of NIPOST to lead in providing financial inclusion service to the active poor, adding this service is needed by the mass of our people who live in rural areas.He also counseled: NIPOST should collaborate with private investors who possess the competence and technology to make this dream possible.These organisations can also assist with money transfers in real time, and e-mail communication services among others.Countries such as Bangladesh and China have shown how POST Bank (Micro-Finance and Savings), POST Insurance and a host of other financial service provisions can equally thrive under the new NIPOST.NIPOST is therefore mandated to key into these new initiatives so as to improve the quality of life of the rural dwellers.The minister tasked the NIPOST boss to engage the business community to boost costumers confidence, noting the service could secure quick successes by exploring such options.NIPOST needs to stimulate postal services once again in Nigeria. At the moment, the letter writing culture is dying. You have to establish delivery standards, retail service standards, quality control and ensure compliance and communicate the standard to all customers in order to boost consumers confidence.The corporate customers seem to have lost hope in NIPOST services. You must, as a matter of priority, engage the business community to seek out business-to-business and business-to-consumer options again. The direct mail industry is a major area where the post can secure quick successes. You should consider all options, including Public-Private models, he added.Earlier in his remarks, Adegbuyi restated his commitment to rejuvenate NIPOST to become bigger, stronger and profitable for the government, pledging to market postal services in all ramifications to all nooks and crannies of the country.The economic base of the industry could be improved, if further impetus is given to the implementation of the Stamp Duty Act, while the grey area stalling its implementation is speedily resolved, he contended.
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