Nigerian Postal service functions decree came into being with the establishment of the Nigeria Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) on January 1, 1985.
NITEL emerged from the merger of the Telecommunications arm of the defunct Post and Telecommunications Department of the Ministry of Communications with the former Nigeria External Telecommunications Limited (NET).
Through the promulgation of decree No. 18 of 1987, NIPOST became an Extra-Ministerial Department.
The Nigerian Postal Service functions are varied; the service is charged with various responsibilities, and one of such responsibilities is to ensure that, parcel are handled properly since they are being sent and received in and outside the country via the Nigerian Postal Service.
Nigerian Postal Service Functions Decree { NIPOST }
The decree provided among other functions of NIPOST, the following:
- To provide and operate facilities for collection, dispatch and distribution of inland and overseas mail at reasonable cost.
- To provide and operate facilities for remittance of money through the money or postal order systems.
- To provide and operate philatelic services in Nigeria.
- To print and provide postage stamps for payment of postage tariff and payment of stamp duties.
- To represent Nigeria in its relations with other postal administrations and other bodies concerned with postal services. Prior to 1992, NIPOST operated as an Extra-Ministerial Department in the Ministry of Communications while Decree 18 of 1987 went through various amendments.
In response to the call to grant NIPOST some measure of autonomy, the Federal Government promulgated Decree 41 of 1992 and classified NIPOST as a Government Parastatal having the following basic functions:
- To develop, promote, and provide adequate and efficiently coordinated postal services at reasonable rates.
- To maintain an efficient system of collection, sorting and delivery of mail nationwide.
- To provide various types of mail services to meet the needs of different categories of mailers.
- To establish and maintain Postal facilities of such character and in such locations consistent with reasonable economics as will enable the generality of the public to have ready access to essential postal services.
- To represent the Federal Republic of Nigeria is her relations with other Postal Administrations and International bodies.
In addition to the above stated functions, NIPOST also has powers:
- To determine the need for Post Offices, Postal facilities and equipment as it may determine.
- To prescribe the amount of postage stamps and the manner in which it is to be paid.
- To provide Philatelic Services.
- To establish and review Postal Tariff.
- To explore additional services to boost its revenue.
- To provide and establish non-postal or similar services
Main Functions Of The Nigerian Postal Service
NIPOST Engages In Continuous Research And Development
Engaging in continuous research and development has been one of the functions of the Nigerian postal service, for the purpose of inventing new products and services in order to bring about an increase in market share, as well as create new outlets and markets that will foster growth and sustain its operations.
This is very important, since continuous research and development will help it uncover the new way of doing things, and perhaps, will help it upgrades their skills and knowledge about the current trend in postal services.
NIPOST Identifies Mailing And Postal Needs Of Customers:
It is the function of the Nigerian postal service to make sure that, mailing and postal issues that are related to the needs of the customers are identified and in time.
When identifying these customers’ needs, it is expected that the Nigerian postal service should proffer a solution or remedy to such customers’ needs.
NIPOST Allocates Resources To Meet Its Objectives
Resources, such as money, materials, and human personnel in an establishment is what help drives such organization to success, and the availability of these resources is very necessary and important, that is why, the Nigerian postal service has taken it upon itself, as one of its functions to allocate resources rationally in order to meet the goals and objectives of the department.
NIPOST Make Provision For Affordable And Reliable Service Delivery
The primary function of the Nigerian postal service has been to send and receive mails within the country. Hence, for quality delivery, the Nigerian postal service has to make provision that will ensure efficient service, reliable service and affordable service across the country.
NIPOST Works Against All Form Of Fraudulent Acts
The Nigerian postal service has adopted a core value believed to help drive the extra-ministerial department of the government, by that, I mean, the Nigerian postal service, and so, it remains one of its functions to make sure that, it works in order to eliminate every issue of mail theft, and every issue of pilfering with mail, as well as, every issue of tampering with mails.
In doing this, the Nigerian postal service believed that it will help boost customers’ confidence and the confidence of those of other administrations.
NIPOST Pursues Strategies That Will Achieve Its Financial Requirements
The Nigerian postal service has a responsibility to make funds available for the purpose of running the organization efficiently and effectively.
So, to achieve this, the Nigerian postal service needs to develop some sort of strategies that will help them achieve their financial requirements and must pursue these strategies as well.
NIPOST Evolves Mechanism For Excess Income For Expenditure
The evolvement of strategies and mechanisms for the purpose of making sure that there is the availability of income, such that would be in excess so as to meet its expenditure, remains one of the functions of the Nigerian postal service.
The availability of funds in the Nigerian postal service is very necessary since it will help the Nigerian postal service to avoid unnecessary indebtedness to persons or organizations that are working for them, such as the contractors and the agents as well as, other Postal administrators.
