FG bans cash payment in NIPOST to check fraud, others

The Federal Government on Thursday banned cash payment in the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST) offices across the country.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, who disclosed this in a statement, said the ban takes immediate effect.

In the statement issued by his media aide, Uwa Suleiman, Pantami said the order became necessary because it was discovered that the cash payment system was aiding corrupt practices in NIPOST.

The statement read: “It has come to the attention of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, that some unscrupulous elements have been taking undue advantage of the cash payment system under the Nigeria Postal Services to engage in corrupt practices.

“In line with the anti-corruption agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the minister hereby directs the Post Master General, to, with immediate effect, suspend all existing cash payment plans within its establishments nationwide.

While the minister directed the Post Master General to make sure that all NIPOST offices immediately revert to Point of Sales (PoS) and bank teller transactions, he urged members of the public and all customers of NIPOST to insist on PoS or bank teller transactions when conducting business with the postal service.

He also asked the Post Master General to instantly implement strategies that would bring an end to undue delays in NIPOST’s services.

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The statement added: “This directive is a temporary measure in the interim to tackle corruption, as we are currently working on fully automating the systems as a permanent solution to the challenge.

“The current trend of delays in postal services will not be condoned by the office of the minister, under whose purview the supervision of NIPOST falls.”

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