From: Petrus Obi, Enugu
NIPOST, one of the newcomers to the Enugu International Trade Fair, has advised Nigerians to return to the post offices insisting that the private mail boxes are the most reliable addressed across the country at the moment.
Area Post Manager, NIPOST, Enugu, Mr. Opaluwa Joseph Agahiu, who was taking advantage of the fair to introduce to the public, major products and services repackaged for better service delivery expressed regrets that patronage of mail boxes has greatly dropped due to the erroneous belief that with GSM, there is no more need to own a box.
His words, “While this may be true to some extent, an upsurge in the volume of Business Mails has been observed in this era of ICT where we now have a good number of online shops and a huge patronage.
“Since items purchased online must be delivered to the addresses, it behooves on the sender to transmit the item to a valid address for successful delivery. And with the indiscriminate numbering of Streets, private mail box is the safest address in Nigeria at he moment.
Mr. Agahiu highlighted other services to include Warehousing and Logistic Services offered to facilitate conveyance and delivery of goods physically to location even when such good have been ordered and paid for online.
He also talked about conveyance of messages where post offices located in rural areas have provided a vital link both in the cities and rural areas for exchange of messages and documents.
“With the automation of our Counter Services due to the development of the ICT, there is the value addition of being able to trace and track letters sent or being expected from the comfort of your home.”
Other services the postal manager said include e-commerce which involves examination registration and checking of results for candidates as well as agency banking where commercial and micro finance banks use internet access at post office counters, particularly, in rural to reach out to their customers.