Courier industry operators under the umbrella of Association of Nigeria Courier Operators (ANCO) are intensifying their bid on the National Assembly with a view to secure the passage of the legislative bill for establishment of a Postal Commission for effective regulation of courier industry in Nigeria.
The bill for the establishment of the proposed postal commission has been tendered for initial reading on the floor of the Nigerian Senate and the operators believe that the bill when finally passed into law will birth an independent regulatory body that will effectively regulate affairs of Nigeria’s courier industry.
Disclosing the facts recently was Vice President of Association, Mrs Jumoke Imasuen while speaking recently via an online media interactive program monitored in Lagos.
According to her, the courier industry in Nigeria as presently constituted was regulated by Courier Department of Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) a situation that had created in series of regulatory challenges now bedeviling the industry.
She explained that under the present scheme NIPOST is a regulator of the industry and at the same time a player in the sector, hence she said enacting the bill for creation of a postal commission will provide an independent body that will regulate the entire industry including NIPOST.
“What we have actually been advocating for is bill for a postal commission. Under the present scheme NIPOST is our regulator and also a player. So it becomes pretty difficult when u have somebody who is both a player and a regulator. So if we can actually push for this postal commission and it is actualized, am sure a couple of these things will be tidied up”
“About 2 to 3 years ago we actually had a hearing at the Senate and a couple of things were adjusted in the postal bill. We believe that if the postal bill is passed into law it will give us an independent regulator which will also in turn regulate the NIPOST itself and that gives us a fair equal playing ground”
She disclosed further that the association was working in conjunction with the International Air Courier Association (IACA) towards addressing unfavorable policy issues currently affecting the courier industry including the 2 percent annual commission imposed by NIPOST, the upward review of licensing fees for operators as well as the issue of multiple taxation and imposition of levies by local, state and federal levels of government.
