Poor ICT Tools Hinder Postal Services In Rivers

The activities of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), are still lagging behind in the area of current tools of Information and Communication (ICT), The Tide checks have revealed.

A top management official in one of the NIPOST offices in Rivers State, who spoke with our reporter last Wednesday, said most of their offices could hardly boast of one functional computer set.

Our source said it was painful for some offices that render multiple services to share one computer set.

According to the source, such development hinders effective service delivery as they hardly beat time in most cases.

Another problem     linked with poor service delivery in NIPOST, as we learnt, is lack of functional motorbikes to enable mail handlers deliver mails and other items to rural areas.

We gathered that over ten motorbikes in one particular office in Port Harcourt are broken down and are awaiting repairs.

The source said the functional ones were more than eight years old as they usually break down on the road.

The management officer blamed part of the woes of NIPOST on the management over what it described as lack of welfare packages for staff.

“You can’t depend on NIPOST for any assistance, in anything, you are always on your own.” a source said.

Our checks further revealed that NIPOST casual staff received about N11,000 monthly whereas new staff take home about N20,000 as salary.

The development, as we were told never allowed young intakes to stay long in service, adding that they resign or abandon work within three years of service.

We also learnt that workers are always grumbling due to insensitivity of the management.

About the NIPOST pensioners recent strike action, our findings have it that workers may be locked outside again from Monday next week, should the Federal Government   fail to meet the pensioners demand.

When contacted on phone, the manager Public Affairs, Port Harcourt Territory, Mr Godwin Akpan, denied all, saying management has the interest of staff at heart.