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| President, Association of Nigeria Courier Operators, Okey Uba |
The Association of Nigeria Courier Operators (ANCO) has urged operators to remain calm over the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) recent traffic hike for courier and logistic companies.
It said it would continue dialogue with government and its agencies at various levels to entrench a better operating environment.
In a statement by its President, Okey Uba, ANCO said it had written to Lagos State Governor and other relevant agencies last week with a view to activating and achieving ease of doing business in Lagos State.
He said: โWe have also set machinery in motion to replicate the dialogue with other states and Federal Government.โ
He maintained that courier operatorsโ goal is to render satisfactory service to numerous clients and the general public while assisting the government to grow the economy and employment base.
Uba lamented the courier industry has come into news lately for the wrong reasons, no thanks to the present regulatory agency, NIPOST recent directive.
โApart from the fact that the world economy is in distress and businesses are struggling to stay afloat, NIPOST mindlessly and regrettably resorted to the absurd increase in courier operations fees.
โThis is even when the industry has been under the weight of inefficient regulation and lack of effective coordination between NIPOST and other government agencies on one side, and between NIPOST and stakeholders, including ANCO on the other side.โ
Uba commended Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr Isa Pantami for ordering NIPOST to suspend the new tariff.
NIPOST recently announced new fees for courier and logistic business operators, provoking anger amongst Nigerians.
NIPOST increased the new license fees for municipal operators to N1 million and annual renewals fees to 40% of new license fees at N400, 000
State operatorsโ fees rose to N2 million, regional to N5 million, national to N10 million while international operators are meant to pay N20 million as license fees.
All license renewal fees are pegged at 40% of license fees per zone.
Many operators lamented that neighboring countries are granting waivers, tax rebates and more to businesses to assist them grow especially in this period of the COVID โ 19 pandemic while Nigerian government appears bent on making the populace suffer more by bringing up stringent measures aimed at making businesses shut down and push the average Nigerian into more economic misery.
