Postal & Courier Services Membership Increase

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri THE GHANA Post and Private Courier operators recorded an increase in their membership with the registration of seven new private courier firms. The Postal & Courier Services Regulatory Commission, which made this known, said the registration of the new members brings to 70 the number of registered postal & courier firms in the country. Osabarima Ansah Sasraku III, chairman of the board of commissioners, disclosed this at the 4th annual stakeholders’ forum held for postal & courier operators under the theme: “Empowering the Postal & Courier Operator for Efficient Service Delivery” in Accra. In his remarks, the chairman said the increase in the number of registered operators was as a result of vigorous exercise by the commission to ensure that illegal operators were weeded out. Osabarima Ansah Sasraku III outlining the progress of the commission said a new brochure on the processes of acquiring operating licence by prospective postal and courier firms will soon be made available to operators. He also stated that the commission was in the process of launching an aggressive public education and awareness programme. This is to ensure that the existence and functions of the commission were well known to business people. “That campaign will also be used to educate consumers about their rights and obligations.” The board chairman said once the postal system remained the only cost-effective and easily accessible means of communication particularly for people in rural areas, consumers demanded fast and efficient deliveries and therefore any failure on the part of operator could be detrimental to the interest of consumers. He, however, noted that the commission will impose stiffer sanctions against any person, individual or institution that operated a courier business in any country without licence. “We will continue to engage the police to clamp down all illegal operators as such activities do not only constitute punishable offence under the Act 649; they also deprive the state of substantial revenue.” Emmanuel Arthur, Public Relations & Customer Affairs Manager of the commission, said the commission, as part of its efforts towards efficient postal and courier regulation, will organise a consumers’ fora in a year to solicit views from customers. He said members of the service would from next year pay a fine of GH¢100 if they failed to renew their licences without any official notice to the commission. He added that the commission was therefore working assiduously with government to ensure that the country had a vibrant and efficient postal service.

Caption: The chairman of the board of commissioners in a group photograph