By Victor Tunde Oso

With the outrage that greeted the Nigerian Postal Service NIPOST’s recent tariff hike for courier and logistic companies, their umbrella body, the Association of Nigeria Courier Operators ANCO, has urged operators, including the general public to remain calm as it is dialoguing with government and its agencies at various levels to entrench a better operating environment.

In a statement by its President, Okey Uba FCLMI, said yesterday that ANCO had proactively written to the Lagos State Governor and other relevant agencies last week with a view to activating and achieving ease of doing business in Lagos State.

According to Uba, “We have also set machinery in motion to replicate the dialogue with other states and the Federal Government.”

He maintained that courier operators’ goal is to render satisfactory service to our numerous clients and the general public while assisting the government to grow the economy and employment base.

Uba lamented that the courier industry has come into news lately for the wrong reasons, no thanks to the present regulatory agency, NIPOST recent directive.

“Apart from the fact that the world economy is in distress and businesses are struggling to stay afloat, NIPOST mindlessly and regrettably resorted to the absurd increase in courier operations fees.

“This is even when the industry has been under the weight of inefficient regulation and lack of effective coordination between NIPOST and other government agencies on one side, and between NIPOST and stakeholders, including ANCO on the other side.”

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Uba however, commended Dr Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy for ordering NIPOST to suspend the new tariff.

It will be recalled that NIPOST recently announced new fees for courier and logistic business operators, provoking anger amongst Nigerians. NIPOST increased the new license fees for Municipal operators to N1 million, and annual renewals fees to 40% of new license fees at N400, 000.00 a year.

State operators’ fees rose to N2 million, regional to N5 million, national to N10 million, while international operators are meant to pay N20 million as license fees. All license renewal fees are pegged at 40% of license fees per zone.

Many operators lamented that neighbouring countries are granting waivers, tax rebates and more to businesses to assist them to grow especially in this period of the COVID – 19 pandemic, the government is hell-bent on making the populace suffer more by bringing up stringent measures aimed at making businesses shut down and push the average Nigerian into more economic misery.

Vanguard News Nigeria.