Nigerians commend FG on proposed unbundling of NIPOST

Nigerians have commended the Federal Government on its move to unbundle the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), saying it will enhance the company’s revenue generation and effectiveness.

They spoke in separate interviews with our correspondent in Ibadan on Wednesday.

NAN recalls that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, had on Aug. 3 said the Federal Government would soon unveil policies to unbundle the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST).

Pantami made this known in Abuja at the unveiling ceremony of the NIPOST revenue stamp.

Commenting, Mr Gbenga Adeleye, Head, Human Resources, Science and Technology Cluster Committee, African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) Nigeria, said the proposed policy to unbundle NIPOST for social development and national growth was a step in the right direction.

“As one of the oldest government institutions, I believe unpacking and remodelling it to the 21st-century institution by the Nigerian Government deserves commendation and support.

“With NIPOST, if the policies are properly drafted and all processes implemented, so many developmental issues will be addressed such as financial inclusion for women and farmers in core rural communities and make huge impact,” Adeleye said.

He said the government would do well to make Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) a back-bone for a vibrant NIPOST for rapid social and economic development.

“Digital services for e-post, e-commerce and e-government, which are growing areas of opportunities, will increase the relevance of postal services to the changing customer needs,” he said.

Also, a financial expert, Mr Tunji Adepeju, said that currently, the NIPOST has so many companies within it.

“On the aspect of unbundling, I think, it is just to make it an official legal operational system, with the introduction of IT, not many people will post letters again so the aspect of sales of stamps has reduced, even the postal services have really gone down except on some specifics.

“Then, the introduction of courier services also took a lot off their original lines of business.

“And by registration, NIPOST became a regulatory authority for courier companies, which means, they have to be involved before courier companies can be licenced and at the same time they also do courier services.

“I would say the unbundling has been on much earlier, at least to my knowledge,” he said.

Adepeju, who had facilitated training for NIPOST in the past, said NIPOST has property all over the country, noting that the revenue coming from such property, were not well coordinated.

“I was involved in one or two training programmes for NIPOST some years back where we did some accounting, budgeting and all the rest, even handling the property and how to account for revenue used to be a problem before now.

“I am also aware that in some locations, individuals are making money out of these pieces of property.

“But, by the time they unbundle and have something like NIPOST Property Limited, the company will concentrate on all the property scattered all over the country.