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The Postmaster General of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Hon Sunday Adepoju, has said the agency is committed to providing modern, reliable and efficient postal services to Nigerians.
Adepoju stated this during his address on the occasion of this year’s celebration of World Post Day in Abuja, on Monday.
He said NIPOST’s priority is to always put its customers first and provide unparalleled services that improved their lives.
“Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) will join other 192 countries under the umbrella of the United Nations Postal body, Universal Postal Union (UPU) to celebrate the World Post Day on October 9, 2023. Which marks the 149th anniversary of the creation of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a specialized agency of the United Nations founded on October 9, 1874. World Post Day is a day set aside to celebrate the establishment of this important union. The day also represents an excellent opportunity for Postal authorities in all countries of the world to educate government officials and the public of the important and invaluable contributions which the Postal Services makes in the socio–economic development of nations.
“As a fundamental means of communications that is easily accessible to the people, there is no doubt the Post occupies a very unique position in every country. To underscore that, the Post continues to serve as an essential instrument of economic and social development in the country. The Federal Government through the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmad Tinubu(GCFR), has as a matter of priority reiterated its commitments to the enhancement of the Nigerian Postal Service leveraging on Technology and ensuring that the postal system remains nationally relevant and globally competitive.
“The theme for this year’s World Post Day is: ‘Together for trust: collaborating for a safe and connected future.’ This year’s theme emphasizes the crucial role that the postal service plays in keeping us connected during unprecedented times, and how we can work together to build trust and a safe future .The foundation of the post’s successes as a service provider lies in the trust it has earned from people across the globe down the centuries. Today, Post offices serve as essential hubs for cohesiveness, inclusiveness and connected communities.
“As it is, the theme, ‘Together for trust,’ is a call to action for government to support the digital development of their postal operators. More than five million postal employees globally are entrusted with a variety of essential and personal items–messages, gifts, goods,money and medicines to be delivered.
“It is therefore, imperative to state here, that postal workers globally needs to be celebrated for the exceptional roles they play to continually deliver services and items at post offices and to various homes courageously, not minding the circumstances as it creates a bond between the postmen and the innumerable individuals they interact with daily.
“To celebrate the day, NIPOST’s state offices across the country will organize road shows among other activities to mark the day, the goals still remains the same: to publicize the role of the post and its activities, innovations, new vision as well as its role as a catalyst in the socio-economic development of the nation.
“In the build up to the year 2023 World Post Day, the annual Universal Postal Union (UPU) Letter Writing Competition for young people was conducted, and over 2,966 entries were received from secondary schools students across Nigeria. The competition is designed to develop the skills of young people in letter writing and contribute in strengthening national and international friendships, which is one of the cardinal objectives of the Universal Postal Union.
“Serena Giovanni Emephal of St. Brigids Girls Grammar School, Delta State; Okpunu Benita Ebanehita of Baridoo Comprehensive College, Lagos Island, Lagos State; and Uche Nneke of Shalom Academy Nsukka, Enugu State, emerged as the three overall national winners, winning cash prizes N100,000, N75,000 and N50,000 respectively.
“As we celebrate the winners, we would like to use the occasion to express management’s appreciation to the principals of the participating schools and students in the competition. We wish to also appeal to all schools authorities in the country to encourage greater participation by their students in subsequent editions of this important Letter Writing Competition.
“As we celebrate the World Post Day, we are also proud to celebrate every milestone that we have been able to achieve so far,” he said.
According to Adepoju, NIPOST recently procured 20 new high–tech Operational Mail Vehicles (OPV) to enhance service delivery, adding that the agency also commissioned over 100 motocycles to boost logistics and drive efficiency in the last mile delivery in the country to bring back a renewed hope in line with the theme of the World Post Day.
The Postmaster General added that NIPOST is in collaboration with several government agencies such as National Population Commission (NPC), National Space Research and Development Agency (NASDRA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and other partners to ensure efficiency in delivering its Postcode and Addressing mandate, which he said will enhance economic development and drastically reduce general insecurity in the country.
“NIPOST is also proud to launch our financial services programme, ’Bank @ Post’ that makes banking activities simple and reachable for all.
“As we celebrate, we are not relenting on our efforts to do more .We are committed to delivering our services with speed, efficiency, and professionalism while maintaining the highest standards of integrity.
“As we mark World Post Day today, we also remember the founders of the postal union, who envisioned a world where communication and postal services would bring us closer together.
“Together, let us continue to work towards making that vision a reality and for your undying support and trust in our postal services. Together, let us collaborate to create a safer, more connected future for us all,” Adepoju stated.