By Emmanuel Elebeke

The Post Master General of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Dr. Ismail Adewusi, says the performance of the agency has not been impressive over the past few years.

Adewusi, made the observation at a meeting with District Area Managers in Abuja, saying that the performance of NIPOST is at its lowest ebb.

He said: “With all honesty and sincerity of purpose, our performance is at lowest ebb. NIPOST has been a butt of public criticisms over perceived lapses such as late delivery, failure to meet up with set target, loss of items, pilfering, substitution of items and other associated sharp practices being perpetrated by NIPOST rats within us.

“This stigma has affected us, resulting in loss of revenue and low patronage.”

The Post Master General who assumed office few months ago, however, pointed out that some of the Agency’s staff are industrious, adding that “the present condition of service is very poor and disheartening.”

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To salvage the ugly situation, he said, on assumption of office, he set up a committee to review the condition of service of NIPOST staff, but that the committee was yet to submit its report.

Commenting of the controversial collection of stamp duty, which was purportedly said to be the statutory responsibility of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the PMG said the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy had waded into the matter with a view to resolving the issue.

Adewusi further informed that the recent oversight visit of the Senate Committee on Communications to the headquarters of NIPOST has rekindled their hope, as the Committee promised to look into the Finance Bill and make necessary amendments with regard to the collection of stamp duty.

To this end, Adewusi charged NIPOST staff to embrace hard work, discipline and eschew rumour mongering.

“We need to change our ways of doing business due to the advent of Information Communication Technology and introduce e-base products.

“We have embarked on restructuring in a bid to approach our work in a different way, recalibrate the Postal Services that we all will be proud of.

“We must embrace the ethos of discipline, positive thinking, eschew rumour mongering and be open, objective and free to make contributions.

“Every one of us should see himself as a change agent of a new NIPOST that will provide quality service in line with best global practices. We are supposed to be an agency that will help the government drive Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria.”  he added.

Also speaking at the event, the Chief Operating Officer of NIPOST, Mrs. Lovetto Nnakanwa, said NIPOST was navigating through serious stormy weather, occasioned by plethora of challenges confronting the agency.

She charged the staff to work assiduously to restore the glory of the agency, adding that all hands must be on deck to take NIPOST to the next level.

VANGUARD