The new Post-Master General, Mr Bisi Adegbuyi has revealed that the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST) generates an average of N4 billion annually, but spends double that figure to pay staff salaries.
Adegbuyi, while addressing the outfit’s staff on Wednesday in Lafia, declared that the situation was “unacceptable”, and challenged the workers to work harder to improve on revenue generation.
“We spend about N8 billion annually on salaries and generate only N4 billion annually; we cannot survive if we continue this way.
“Everyone must double up so as to add value to the system, widen our reach and promote a digital economy,” he said.
He said that the service must create jobs and improve its contributions to the country’s GDP, while also abiding by global standards.
Adegbuyi specifically declared his intention to deploy technology to block leakage and increase NIPOST’s revenue bases, and cautioned the workers against negative and corrupt tendencies.
He told the staff that plans to sabotage the system and blow holes for financial leakages had been identified and effectively handled, and warned them against laziness and the hatching of evil plans.
The NIPOST boss, who is the first to be appointed from the private sector, assured the workers that no one would be sacked, adding that more workers would be recruited to strengthen the service.
Earlier, Mr Alex Bature, Area Postal Manager, Nasarawa territory, had enumerated the challenges faced by the office to include a dearth of vehicles and the lack of land for the construction of territorial headquarters.
Other challenges, he said, included the worsening state of the Lafia Post Office, installation of internet facility and the expiration of the office rent.