By Helen Ovbiagele

I know that times are hard financially for most companies and people, and many of us can do with more money than we have at present, but it is important that when seeking ways of boosting our revenue, we should do so with some integrity and fair play.

I thought I was dreaming when my NIPOST mail box renewal bill which I had just collected from my box read 4,985 naira (four thousand, nine hundred and eighty-five naira)!

Since the branch of NIPOST I use has this ‘very helpful habit’ of jamming your box if you fail to pay on time, I raced to their pay desk.

“Sorry to bother you, please madam, is this really my bill for 2012? .I asked the counter clerk. “Mine is a private box, you know, not a business one. Maybe there was a mistake. Here, take a look at it.”

“Good afternoon, ma. It’s your bill, ma.”she told me, after checking.

“It seems you’ve increased your charges. Last year, I paid 3, 200 naira. This is quite a jump, I must say. Is there any extra service you’re rendering to justify this hike?”

“Ah, yes, madam. A directory comes with it.”

“Are you joking? You mean NIPOST now has a directory for the public?”I asked, thinking that it had to do with a directory of businesses and establishments with their post office addresses and plus.

“Yes, ma. When you pay, you get one.”

I paid the 4, 985.85 naira and she went to bring me a copy titled ‘NIGERIAN POSTCODE DIRECTORY’ and then issued me two receipts: one for the rental of the mail box – 3,200, naira (including VAT), and the other for 1,785 naira. I asked what the latter was for and she told me that it was for the directory.

I flipped through and found that it was just what it says on the cover – a postcode directory with the names of states and all areas with postal codes. Part of the Preface reads ‘The introduction of Post Code system in Nigeria represents another milestone in the efforts of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), aimed at improving the efficiency of mail delivery in the country.

Consequently, the country has been delineated into exclusive Post Code Areas, each of which is identified by a District Post Code. The delineation criteria were determined purely for the convenience of mail delivery, which is non-political. Therefore, this Directory is not a legal tender and any petition arising therefrom, will not be entertained.’

Nice words and intention, no doubt, but I don’t think I should be forced to pay 1,785 naira to make NIPOST feel good about itself.

“Sorry, my sister, this is of no use to me at all,” I told the clerk. “I don’t send mail through NIPOST, so, post code means nothing to me. The one for the country in general, yes, but certainly not the ones for every ward or street, nationwide. Can I have the 1,785 naira you took for this back, please?”

“Ah, madam, that’s not possible. Everybody with a mail box has to get it when renewing the rental for 2012. It’s not just a decision we made for this branch. It’s nationwide, ma.”

“I see. Do you people realize that you’re extracting this sum of money from your customers in a fraudulent way? Who needs this directory? I don’t. I have a mail box here for the occasional mail that may come in once in a while. You can’t force me to buy the directory.”

“Sorry, ma, but it’s the order we were given.”

“Can I see your supervisor?”

“Of course, ma. It’s the third room on the right, behind me here.”

“Thank you.”

The supervisor, a female, was very polite and courteous, and she listened to my complaint attentively.

“Madam, we’re sorry for the added expenses, but you see, we now have a highly reformed and performing NIPOST. The days for shoddy services are fast gone. We offer excellent services these days, and it’s in a bid to upgrade our services to an international level that we are creating an awareness of postal codes, like in the developed world.”

“That’s good, madam, and it’s really nice to hear that NIPOST has improved, but why should you make it mandatory that we should pay for the post code directory alongside our mail box fee? In the developed world you mentioned, information on post code numbers are pasted on walls in post offices throughout their countries.

It is an information which aids the discharge of your duties. It’s normally free of charge. It is wrong to force the purchase of this directory on those who rent your mail boxes, since very few of them would need to know an area code. I’ve never had the need to want to know any. In the past five years, I’ve not sent mail through NIPOST.

I think the purchase of this directory should be optional, or, at best, you could make its purchase obligatory for those renting your mail box for the first time, not existing customers; although you could inform the latter of its existence and suggest they buy it for their own convenience. I think you’re infringing on our human rights by forcing the sale of this directory on us.”

The supervisor and her assistant listened attentively and then apologized again for the added expenses, saying that some other mail box users had complained too. I insisted on a refund.

“Alright ma,” said her assistant, “but you’ll have to write to our headquarters at the Marina. Here’s a sheet of paper. We shall forward your letter to them. It’s only there that a decision can be reached on the matter. We can’t make a refund here. Ours is to make the directory available to mail box users at a fee added to the renewal of their rental. Sorry about the inconvenience, ma.”

When I told the duo that I wouldn’t want to waste my time writing a letter that wouldn’t get anywhere the supervisor then suggested that I should join them at their next meeting with the customers in their area.

“You have such interaction with your customers? I’ve never received any notice for such a meeting,” I told her.

“Ma, it isn’t for mail box users, but for those who regularly send parcels and bulk mail through NIPOST. At these meetings, they air their grievances, and we collectively try to solve these problems. These meetings are very useful. If you give me your details, we can invite you. You can then table this matter. We’re always glad to dialogue with our customers so that we can give more satisfactory services.”

I thanked her for the invitation, but suggested that they should invite the media to these meetings. That way, members of the public will get to know and understand NIPOST’s functions more.

In the face of the friendliness, politeness, and apology with which my complaint was received, one couldn’t pursue the argument any more, but go home with a directory I have no need for. She did assure me the purchase of the directory is a one off thing, not to be repeated every year. I hope so.