Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), Chief Isaac Kekemeke, has issued a stern warning to internal and external saboteurs undermining the agency, telling them to either desist from the act.

Speaking on Monday at a retreat for NIPOST management staff in Abuja, Kekemeke blamed the agency’s decline on what he described as the activities of “mail rats” and saboteurs, whose actions have stifled the organisation’s ability to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

He lamented that years of inefficiency, poor reputation, and internal sabotage have left NIPOST in a dire state, saying the organisation is currently in the “Intensive Care Unit (ICU)” despite its immense potential.

Kekemeke noted that following his appointment by President Bola Tinubu, he conducted a personal assessment of NIPOST and uncovered deep-rooted issues that have hindered its progress.

He emphasised the need for urgent reforms to align the agency with the administration’s vision for a revitalised public service.

“In all, it became apparent that the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) is a challenged organisation. Many Nigerians, albeit agreeing on the huge potentials of NIPOST as a national heritage and significant national infrastructure, expressed displeasure and disappointment with its performance. Most young men and women could not relate to or with NIPOST”, Kekemeke lamented.

He said the workshop was aimed at unveiling the vision of the board to the management and to jaw-jaw on meaningful ways to address challenges facing the organisation. According to Kekemeke, urgent reforms would take place within NIPOST to enable it become globally competitive and stand alongside others players like Royal Mail, Swiss Mail and Deutche Postal Service among others.

The Postmaster General and CEO of NIPOST, Mrs Tola Odeyemi praised the appointment of Kekemeke by the President, saying the Chairman had the capacity, experience and leverage to change the narratives of NIPOST for the better.

Odeyemi said NIPOST has taken strategic steps to improve its diverse services to enable it contribute to national development and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

She said NIPOST Express Mail Service (EMS) has increased by over 400 percent, while NIPOST in conjunction with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) have commenced initiatives to regain volumes of services lost to e-commerce giants across the globe and in Africa.

Odeyemi outlined such services lost to designated operators like NIPOST as customs clearing, warehousing, and reverse logistics services, saying NIPOST is now on the verge of launching and delivering the services within the next couple of days. (The Nation)