NIPOST defies directive against cash transactions – TheNigerialawyer

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.