In its bid to bring business closer to the people, enhance e-commerce service and create job for unemployed youths in the country, the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has introduced a digital Address Verification System (AVS).
NIPOST has also introduced other products including E -money order, E-Stamp, Property and workshop (estate development) ,agricultural programme, among others.
South East Zonal director of NIPOST, Dr Abianga Asuquo, made this known in an address he presented to mark the 2018 world post Day .The zonal manager disclosed that,,”The postmaster general and Chief executive officer of the federation, Busi Adegbuyi, had in his attempt to repositioning NIPOST, kick started the restructuring strategy on the 3rd July, 2017 ,with the decentralisation of administration into Seven(7) zones and creation of Seven (7) commercial business units.
“”The reform agenda is aimed at attainment of strategic importance, operational efficiency, accessibility, penetration and financial accretion. Hence, NIPOST has not only become a household name but a change driver in the economy of this country “, he said.
On the digital address verification system, Asuquo explained that “Most of our streets are unnamed and the houses remained unnumbered and that in view of that, the Nigerian Postal Services accelerated the development of digital addressing, which is currently receiving worldwide acclaim on innovation and creating a plain field for all players in the sector.
The zonal manager added that unemployed youths in the country would be engaged to verify the addresses of Nigerians and would earn a stayed income.“We would use millions of Nigerian youths as our address verification agents to enable them to make money. All they have to do is to come with a simple smartphone with Internet connection, go to a location, and verify people’s address. They will take their details and photograph, which will be automatically uploaded into our database,” he said.
According to him, “The person who wants an address to be verified for him or her wants to use it for a purpose, either to access government services, to procure international passport, or to procure driver’s license. He or she is going to pay N1, 000 as address verification fee. So, this means if you can verify as many addresses as possible, you can make a lot of money.”
He added that NIPOST was committed to using its widespread infrastructure to provide employment for the people, reduce poverty and create wealth.
On his part, the Postmaster-General, NIPOST, Bisi Adegbuyi, who was represented by the zonal manager, South East, Dr Abianga Asuquo stated that NIPOST offer services such as banking, property and development, transport and logistics were introduced in order to diversify its revenue streams. On E-Commerce, the deputy zonal manager, Nkiru Onaga said it is an on-line platform which facilitates trade.
The director -general of the Universal Post Union, UPU, International Bureau ,Bishar Hussein noted that, ” Everyday around the globe, postal serviced make a difference in the lives of people and communities by providing affordable trusted and reliable communication services to all the Post delivering good to the World “. The theme of this year’s celebration is, ‘The Post, Delivering Goods to the World ” A paper entitled :” Significance of the Post to the Development of Small Medium Enterprises ” was delivered at the occasion by Christian Odigbo.
Highlight of the occasion was presentation of sums of One hundred thousand niara and Seventy -Five thousand niara respectively to Grace Okogbo, a student of the Federal government college, Umuahia, winner of the 2018 Universal Post Union national essay writing competition and Okorie Chiamaka, student of International secondary school, Orlu.