NIPOST Shuts Six Illegal Courier Operators

• NIPOST Shuts Six Illegal Courier Operators

The Nigeria Postal Service, through its regulatory arm, the Courier Regulatory Department, has clamped down on six companies for allegedly failing to regularise their courier operations.

The affected companies are Mitchelle Mercantile Limited, Triple J. Chinese Restaurant, Chizzy Nigeria Limted, Essay Holdings Limited, Errandz4You and Finder King. They are in Lagos.

The Senior Assistant Postmaster General and Head of Courier Regulatory Department, Ishaya Diwa, said the clampdown was a renewed drive to rid the nation’s courier industry of illegal operators.

He said that the action became necessary having realised that in the last few months, “there has been an increase in the activities of illegal courier companies.”

Diwa stated that apart from being economic sabotage, “the activities of the operators create a bad image for the country, as courier business is a worldwide industry.”

He said, “It is more or less a relay business connecting the world. There are set standards for the operation of courier companies and Nigeria is not exempted. To us, the courier industry in Nigeria will adopt the best practice that is obtainable worldwide.

“In our commitment to achieve that, we are ready to clamp down on any courier company operating illegally. Illegal operations are similar to having quacks operating the hospitals/health institutions. They tend to bastardise every good intention of the government.”

He added, “Illegal operators are usually unserious people; they dump people’s e-mails, engage in undercutting and under-pricing, which is not good for the economy. So, we are set to bring all that to an end and ensure the industry is organised in the manner it should and based on the Federal Government’s rules and regulations.”

Diwa warned that operators found working contrary to the rules and regulations would have themselves to blame, as the full wrath of the law would be visited on them.

“We have started work and Lagos is not the only operations venue. We conduct surveillance across the country. Recently, we carried out operations in Rivers, Edo and Benue states and will continue to visit other cities to ensure the industry is sanitised,” he added.