The Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department (CLRD) of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), has said it will clamp down on illegal courier and logistic businesses across the country and make the industry professional.
Mr. Gideon Shonde, the General Manager of CLRD, made this known at a seminar held to present licenses to newly registered operators in the industry in Lagos.
According to Shonde, “there is regulation with provision for enforcement in place to tackle the menace of illegal and unlicensed operators.”
He further stated, ‘’there is a postal bill which was presented before the Lagos State House of Assembly two months ago to bring reform to the industry all in a bid to have conducive environment so that investors can have quick returns on their investments to tackle security as well as safety issues that are being raised in the sector.’’
The General Manager explained further that the department was also working with the leadership of the local governments areas in its determination to put an end to multiple fees, levies and charges by the agents and officials of these local governments.
He emphasized the need for operators in the sector to invest in relevant information, training, education, and enlightenment programmes about the regulations that apply in the industry.
Since, according to him, regulations are to help create a conducive environment for all humanity.
He added that the existing regulations would be due for review in the next five years and at that time there would be a round table opportunity for all stakeholders to discuss and agree on the contents: what to remove; what to change and what to retain in the existing regulatory framework.
Mr. Olubodun Ogunyankin, the General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of ADG Logistics and Courier Services, one of the newly licensed logistics companies held that ‘’without the license whatever courier operations anyone is involved in is illegal and as such the license confers legitimacy on the business.
It also confers credibility on ADG’s license which is the National License allowing us to carry out courier and logistics services across Nigeria.”
Ogunyankin urged the regulatory agencies to clamp down more seriously on unregistered operators who he described as quacks in the industry.
“This will rebuild customers’ confidence in the licensed companies and reduce the number of headaches including unwholesome undercutting of rates.”
The newly licensed operators were taken through the ethical expectations in the course of running their businesses.
This licensing batch is the first to be held after the new regulations in December 2020 came into effect.
