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Hard times hit postal services, funding shrinks, office buildings lie in ruins

The poor condition in which postal workers operate and deliver services is a major source of concern. IFE OGUNFUWA examines the wretched state of the government agency that has existed for over 100 years

Abandoned furniture littered the space meant to be the reception. Paper and unused office items were packed and placed at different angles. They were all covered in dust in the dimly lit space meant to receive guests. Yet some workers sat in the midst of the chaos while others walked briskly by, not minding the poor condition of the environment.

Mail delivery vehicles in a state of disrepair also littered the compound and the general appearance of the building oozes of poor maintenance as dust covered unused offices windows, and grit littered the large compound of Lafiaji Post Office, Lagos Island in Lagos State.

These unkempt premises and offices are the reflection of most postal offices across the country. From leaking roofs to dirty floors and walls, bushy environment and dilapidated offices, the structures are underutilised and poorly maintained.

In Ajuwon area in Ogun State, the only neat item on the building in the signpost which reads “Ajuwon Post Office”. It was observed that the office building and surroundings had seen better days. The reception had no furniture and no private mailboxes were in sight.

However, based on interactions with NIPOST workers, the willingness to assist customers with the necessary information and processing of parcels for delivery was evident.

Background of Nigerian Postal Services

This government institution was established by the colonial masters in 1852 to provide postal administration and services to the British Postal System.

In the beginning, the postal offices across the country provided money order and mail delivery services for the British Colonial masters and operated as an annex of the London General Post Office.

Within the country, mails were delivered by canoes due to a limited number of road networks. By 1906, 27 post offices were operating and at the time of independence in 1960, 176 post offices, 10 sub-post offices and 1,000 postal agencies were available across the country.

Nigeria Postal Service Department was created in the year that NITEL was created – in 1985 but while NITEL has been privatised, NIPOST still struggles to maintain its relevance as its main services have been overtaken by the advent of advanced technology used in sending and receiving messages digitally.

With the emergence of electronic mails, postal services in Nigeria are gradually fading away. Nevertheless, a lot of people still use the post office either to send and receive documents, parcels and packages within and outside the country.

Regular customers of NIPOST who spoke with our correspondent attested to the affordability and effectiveness of the NIPOST’s international courier services that have helped many small scale importers and exporters to grow their businesses.

However, some of the customers complained that the postal agency took a longer time to deliver cargo when compared with other private courier companies.

Presently, there are postal offices operating in 774 local government areas across the country with more than 20,000 employees, hence its wide coverage.

No electricity supply in post offices in Ekiti

Investigations showed that the post offices in some communities in Ekiti State do not enjoy public power supply. Hence, this makes the office environment non-conducive for workers.

As a result, workers are unable to use gadgets and digital equipment that require electricity to facilitate their operations.

For instance, it was gathered that the Post Office at Ikere Ekiti, which is situated close to the palace of the Olukere, has been in blackout for about a decade.

Although, the exterior of the facility is neatly painted thus making it attractive, the inside is a contrast as it spoke the language of neglect with the ancient wooden mailboxes and old tables and chairs while the ceiling fan and 21-inch television in the office are more of decorations.

A source, who explained that the last time the post office had power supply was 2011, said that non-available electricity was the reason technology was alien to the facility.

The source said, “There are no computers and other materials for capturing here. If the need for capturing arises, they send such people to Ado Ekiti for capturing. It is funny because this is a technological age and NIPOST is supposed to grow with it. The only trace of technology in this post office is the phones used by the members of staff.

“The wooden boxes are not supposed to be in use again in this age, especially that NIPOST is generating income through sales of stamp duty and other services including transport. Customers still come to send certificates, credentials and other documents through the post office,” the source said.

Ramshackle, uncompleted post office building in Ado Ekiti

The Post Office in Ado Ekiti, which is the Ado Ekiti District Head Office, located in the Oja Oba area, which is in the heart of Ado Ekiti, is a shadow of its old self.

The partial demolition of the erstwhile imposing post office building during the first term of Kayode Fayemi administration to pave way for dualisation of Adunni Olayinka Way, has affected the structure.

Since then, the post office has been disconnected from the national grid and has been running on a generator to power the remaining part of the building, which the members of staff cluster themselves in.

As compensation, the Fayemi government during the first tenure began the construction of a storey-building, which got a little above the first floor at the expiration of the administration in 2015 and the building has remained in that state since.

The head of the facility uses as his office, the uncompleted building without windows and doors, not minding the walls which have not been plastered and the dusty floor. Even, the building does not have any trace of cables for electricity supply.

A member of staff, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that despite the condition of the post office and the daily harrowing experiences of the workers, “the members of staff are dedicated and we are willing to give our best.

“The quality of our service delivery is okay. People patronise us to some extent for services and they are still subscribing to new post office boxes. However, this is an area we hope that when the Postal Bill is signed, which stipulates that everybody that wants to begin business must have a post office box, will address.”

The  member of staff said, “There has been no public power supply here for years since part of the post office was demolished for road project during the first tenure of Governor Fayemi about seven or eight years ago.

“The post office is digitalised. We run on generators. We have laptop computers, i-pads and phones, which we use for capturing. We have gadgets though they are not enough. Other post offices at Iyin Ekiti, Ilawe Ekiti and Ilawe Ekiti refer people to us for capturing.”

Another NIPOST worker, who disclosed plans to automate the counter of the Ado Ekiti post office, lamented that “such cannot be done now because of the condition of the post office. This place is lacking almost everything because until the building, which its construction started many years ago is completed, there cannot be any proper installation here.

“You need to come here during the rainy season and see how we struggle with water. Even the uncompleted building, which our boss uses as office leaks from the deck when it rains.

“We are appealing to all well-meaning people to come to our aid so that this will not be the most derelict post office in any state capital in the country. There is no ideal office situation here. Will you ever believe this is an office for federal workers?

“We also appeal to Governor Fayemi to consider completion of the building which he started during his first tenure many years back. The governor should also help us to remove the street traders who permanently occupy our gates, thus giving our customer hard times accessing this place,” the member of staff said.

Weeds take over NIPOST buildings in Kwara

Post Office buildings on which several millions of naira have been invested by the Federal Government have been covered by overgrown weeds in several towns and villages in Kwara State.

Though, Punch correspondent investigation in the state revealed that the functions being performed by NIPOST, especially in the handling of mails have dwindled, it was discovered that Post Offices are still functioning in few urban towns including Ilorin, Offa and Omun-Aran in the state.

Checks revealed that the construction of NIPOST buildings in Kuntu area in Ilorin metropolis, Omupo, Erin-Ile and other towns and villages in the state embarked upon to uplift postal services by the Federal Government in the second republic during the regime of President Shehu Shagari, had been abandoned and overgrown by weeds.

A visit to post office projects in Kuntu, Ilorin in Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state capital, Omupo and Idofian in Ifelodun council area of the state, revealed the sorry state of the buildings already overgrown by weeds.

The projects, with 400 mailboxes to be hired out to members of the public, are in sorry state and are being occupied by bush animals while the one in Ilorin had been turned to defecating place for people living around the area.

It was gathered that some community associations, including Offa and Ajase-Ipo, have taken over the buildings located in their domain and made it functional.

Post offices in Ilorin, Offa, Omun-Aran are fully digitalised and are made to perform other services which include registration of students for West African Examinations Council, National Examinations Council, National Business and Technical Examinations Board and Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board examinations apart from the normal postal services.

A woman who refused to give her name but simply identified herself as the manager of the Ilorin district of NIPOST told our correspondent at the General Post office, Ilorin that NIPOST had diversified its functions adding “apart from engaging in postal services, we are into other services such as marketing, transportation and registration of students for public examinations.

“Kwara is divided into three districts; Ilorin, Offa and Omun-Aran. Although, people are still patronising our mailboxes, yet, we have some mailboxes to give out to people. For instance in Ilorin, we have mailboxes in Baba-Oko, Center Igboro and even at General Post office here, which people are yet to hire.

“We have gone out to enlighten the public on the usefulness of our mailboxes and we are appealing to them to come and take the boxes”, she said.

NIPOST reform programme

The Bureau of Public Enterprises had in 2005, initiated reform programmes in the postal agency. BPE sought the services of advisers to assist in the drafting of a new national postal sector policy.

The advisers were meant to review and develop a new harmonised legal and regulatory framework for the postal sector. This will allow for private participation in postal services and restructure the agency.

In 2018, KPMG was appointed as the transaction advisory services firm and charged with the responsibility of providing advice and support for the short-term restructuring of the agency in line with international best practices.

The Director-General of BPE at the time, Mr Alex Okoh, pledged to see to the modernisation and restructuring of NIPOST.

Speaking to our correspondent, the President, Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-owned Companies, Mr Msheliza Inusa, explained that the substandard performance of the agency could be linked to poor funding.

According to him, plans to reform the agency had been on for many years but none had been implemented due to lack of funds.

He said the postal offices across the country were not making enough money to maintain the offices and there had been no budgetary allocation for many years.

“There were plans in place to transform the mail delivery service and introduce new services. The plans were documented but there were no funds for the project to take off,” he said.

According to Inusa, even though the Postal Reform Bill had not been passed and funds were unavailable, the former Post Master General of the Federation, Mr Adebisi Adegbuyi, initiated reforms by creating seven zones, 108 districts and created offices for 36 area postal managers.

Inusa said the former post master general before he left office, introduced the digital addressing system and collaborated with the Central Bank of Nigeria to develop an electronic stamp to replace the old physical stamps.

He said the plan was to generate enough funds for the agency through the electronic stamps to invest in the new subsidiaries that had been created.

Adegbuyi, when he came to office, actively pushed for the reforms to be implemented.

As part of the reforms, the operations of NIPOST will be commercialised unbundled into six profit –driven subsidiaries.

These subsidiaries include NIPOST Digital Financial Services Limited (PostBank); NIPOST Property and Development Company Limited; NIPOST Transport and Logistics Limited; NIPOST Merchandising Limited (e-commerce); and NIPOST General Services Support Limited (e-government).

Highlighting some of the challenges being faced by NIPOST, Inusa said,”The private mail boxes are not being paid for by businesses. There are no funds for maintenance of the facilities or for payment of electricity bills.

The labour leader noted that the newly created districts needed vehicles for marketing purposes and funds to pay logistics firms working in partnership with the agency.

According to him, the NIPOST is being managed as a social services, as such, the internally generate revenue is too little to cater to important needs of postal offices.

“We need five per cent of the stamp duty fees to maintain NIPOST facilities,” he added.

Abandoned NIPOST projects

NIPOST, which currently has 44 out of 162 formally abandoned projects across the country were chosen for the CBN Micro finance projects under the financial inclusion policy of the CBN and its micro Finance company because of its wide reach.

Adegbuyi had reportedly told a House of Representatives investigative hearing on ‘Abandoned Communications Projects’ that its incomplete corporate headquarters with N800m was at about 28 per cent completion.

He said, “It is a Public Private Partnership arrangement, which is converting all NIPOST supposedly abandoned projects to ongoing ones since they were all chosen to meet the expectations of the CBN financial inclusion policy.

“And NIPOST abandoned buildings cover all the 774 local government areas of the country hence, was used as a major driver for the project to meet the needs of Nigerians.”

Presently, there is on ongoing dispute between NIPOST and FIRS over which agency had the right to collect stamp duties on behalf of the government.

The NIPOST’s Post-Master General, Dr Ismail Adewusi, recently in Abuja maintained that “our position is that we have more right than any other agency to collect stamp duty; it belongs to us, not any other agency.’’

Adewusi said stamp duty collection remained part of the postal service agency’s core mandate as it was the practice everywhere in the world.

As of December last year, the management of NIPOST said it had  earned N45.8bn naira from electronic stamp duties.

This is as the FIRS is insisting that it is its duty to oversee the stamp duty fee collection as it has always done over other duties and taxes imposed by the Federal Government.

Additional reporting by Abiodun Nejo and Tunde Oyekola.

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