Emma Okonji
In line with its drive towards adopting technology to reform the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and reposition the institution for competition, NIPOST Lagos zone has installed automatic teller machines (ATM) and point of sales (PoS) machines across most of its post offices in the Lagos zone.
NIPOST said it would use the ATM and PoS technology to generate more money for NIPOST and also block all loopholes and channels through which monies leaving the post offices were unaccounted for in the past.
The Zonal Manager, NIPOST Lagos Zone, Mrs. Adebola Ayeni, who spoke on the new vision of NIPOST, while conducting the NIPOST Governing Board, led by its Chairman Maimuna Yaya Abubakar, on a two-day familiarisation tour of postal establishments in Lagos, said the new reformation of NIPOST, designed to serve the public better, is ongoing.
At the General Post Office, Ikeja the Post Master General/CEO (PMG/CEO) of NIPOST, who is also a member of the board, Bisi Adegbuyi, informed the other board members that NIPOST has added dedicated financial services to her products to complement the universal service obligation of the Post in order to improve on revenue generation.
Adegbuyi, disclosed that NIPOST, through arrangement with Keystone Bank, had installed ATM and PoS machines in most of the post office branches, in order to serve customers better.
At the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) inside Murtala Mohammed International Airport offices of EMS/Parcel and International Mail Processing Centre of NIPOST, Adegbuyi and the Chief Operating Officer of NIPOST, Mallam Yahaya Rufai, conducted the board members round the facilities and introduced them to the two scanning machines donated to NIPOST by the British High Commission in Lagos.
They informed the board members that through the machines, postal offensive items such as fake British Pound Sterling, fake International Passports and other prohibitives items have been intercepted and impounded.
“At this point, surveillance is a team work involving NIPOST, Customs and operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),” Adegbuyi told his colleagues at the NIPOST Board who were on facility tour.
Adegbuyi, however noted some of the challenges facing NIPOST, despite efforts being made to reposition the government parastatal.
He called on government for assistance to help actualise the dream of automating all the operations of NIPOST.
At the Ijora Workshop of NIPOST, the board members observed that the machines and tools were completely obsolete, but the PMG/CEO, assured the board members that as soon as the Postal Reform Bill (NIPOST Bill) was signed into law, the Ijora NIPOST workshop would be commercialised for improved efficiency and enhanced revenue generation.
The board members were informed at the National Mails Development Centre, Shomolu, Lagos, that mail processing time and movement throughout the country by road has been reduced to 24hrs 7days exercise, with the introduction of morning, afternoon and night shifts.
