NIPOST defies directive against cash transactions

Cash payment is still ongoing in post offices across the country, a month after the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, ordered immediate termination of cash transactions in the postal outlets.

Checks by our correspondent at various post offices in Abuja revealed that the directive was not being complied with.

Pantami had on November 6 ordered the Nigeria Postal Service to immediately discontinue cash transactions in the post offices.

According to the minister, the directive followed a discovery that unscrupulous elements were taking undue advantage of the cash payment system in NIPOST to engage in corrupt practices.

The Post Master General, Bisi Adegbuyi, was thus directed to ensure that all NIPOST offices immediately implemented Point of Sales and bank teller transactions.

In the same vein, members of the public and all customers of NIPOST were encouraged to insist on the PoS or bank teller transactions when conducting business with the postal service.

However, at NIPOST offices in the Garki, Wuse and Kubwa areas of Abuja, our correspondent observed that the agency was still engaging in cash transactions.

Our correspondent paid cash to purchase postage stamps at the various outlets, and the money was duly collected by the agency’s workers at designated cash points.

Also, other customers were observed making cash payments during the period our correspondent visited the outlets.

When our correspondent suggested that he wished to post a parcel, the concerned NIPOST worker asked to see the material so that it could be weighed and billed.

Our correspondent was told that payment for the parcel would be made in cash.

In response to our correspondent’s enquiries, the management of NIPOST said the only cash payments that were ongoing in its offices were for N50 and N100 postage stamps.

But our correspondent observed cash payments of much larger sums during visits to the offices.

Also, the cost of posting the parcel, which our correspondent was told could be made in cash was more than N1,000.

A director of NIPOST who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone said the agency had over nine months ago provided the PoS machines in all its offices.

But, according to him, the agency does not have the power to compel customers to use the PoS machines when making payment.

“Inasmuch as we want to comply with the directive, we can’t compel any Nigerian to pay with the PoS,” he explained.