The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has clamped down on illegal logistics operators in Abuja, citing the need to enforce its regulatory mandates and purge the sector of unlicensed operators.
During the clamp down exercise monitored by BusinessDay, the Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department (CLRD) of NIPOST, confiscated over eight motorbikes belonging to illegal and unlicensed operators.
Some of the operators affected include Ekesons parcels and services limited, Gikas logistics limited, German logistics, Rash delivery logistics, Transnet logistics, among others in Abuja.
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Dotun Shonde, General Manager, CLRD said that the exercise was necessary to sanitize the sector especially as the Postal, Express, Courier and Logistics industry in Nigeria had been proliferated and infiltrated with so many unlicensed/illegal Courier and Logistics Operators with reckless abandonment for ethical standard and personal conduct.
He also said that there had been unethical sharp practices, such as price undercutting, pilfering, broaching, damages, loss and dumping of customers items, poaching and subletting of operating licenses with mountain of public complaints about Customers being duped or obtaining money from them under false pretenses, no traceable office address nor registered brand name.
The General manager also pointed out the issue of public safety and security threats, due to carriage of illicit drugs and prohibited items like small arms and ammunition, guns, gold, monies, obscene items, etc.
He however said any interested private investors into the Postal, Express, Courier and Logistics business should follow the due process and obtain a grant of operating Licenses from the Federal Government.
He advised that they should obtain a grant of Operating License from NIPOST as stipulated by the extant laws or risk facing the full wrath of the law, and prosecution.
BusinessDay reports that the four different categories of operating licenses include the State/Special SMES, Regional, National and International licenses.
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Shonde also disclosed that over 500 state/special SME’s licenses have been approved by the post master general nation wide.
Similar clampdown has been carried out across states, including Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Katsina, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers, Abia and Kwara states.
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