NIPOST Automates 40 Post Offices Nationwide

The Postmaster General of the Federation, Prof. Mori Baba, has said that 40 major post offices in the six geo-political zones of the federation had been automated by the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).

Baba made the announcement at a ceremony to mark the World Postal Day on Monday in Abuja.

He said that the automation process was ongoing until all post offices in the country were fully transformed.

Baba explained that the automation of the post offices meant the provision of services across the counter, using ICT infrastructure.

He further explained that it involved the use of computer networked through the Internet for seamless rendition of counter duties and services.

According to him, automation enhances operations in terms of speed, efficiency and also creates avenues for handling large volumes of mail with minimal loss of time.

He said that a lack of power was the major challenge NIPOST was experiencing in implementing the automation programme, adding that this was beyond the control of the organisation.

“We are faced with the challenge of ensuring that all communities in the country have access to postal services,’’ he said.

Baba said that NIPOST would collaborate with organisations that would assist in the provision of power as the cost of providing generating sets for all postal outlets “is enormous’’.

He said that the automation was in line with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) standard requirement of one post office for 6,000 inhabitants.

He said that the Federal Government would ensure the inclusion of every community in the country because 237 local government areas out of the 774 in the country did not have post offices.

“We want to see within this period that they are provided with post offices and we are ready to collaborate with the authorities of the local governments concerned as well as community leaders and NGOs,’’ he said.

He said that this would ensure that the people in those localities were not excluded from government’s plan, noting that new technologies were supposed to transform the communications market.