Postal and Courier operators meet

The Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission (PCSRC) has held its 4th Annual Stakeholders forum in Accra under the theme “Empowering the Postal and Courier operators for efficient service delivery”.

The PCSRC is the regulator for the postal and courier sector in Ghana, and it is a statutory body created by Act of parliament – the Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission A ct, 2003 (Act 649).

The chairman of the Board of the Commissioners of the PCSRC, Osabarima Ansah Sasraku, stated that the objective of this forum is to generate and share ideas to improve services provided by the postal and courier industry.

“This forum is part of a consultative process by the commission to ensure all views are carried on board, question answered and solutions found to address the challenges faced by you the operators in both the postal and courier sector while making sure that the interest of the consumer is equally addressed,” he added.

He announced that as at 31st August this year the commission had registered seven new private courier firms, and this brings to seventy the number of registered postal/courier firms. This includes Ghana post which remains the designated National Postal Service Provider.

“The increase in number of registered operators is as a result of a vigorous exercise by the commission to ensure that illegal operators are weeded out,” he continued.

He therefore renewed the commission’s earlier warning of stiffer sanctions against any persons, individuals or institutions operating a courier business in any part of the country without licence.

“We will continue to engage the police to clamp down on all illegal operators. Such activities do not only constitute punishable offences under Act 649; they also deprive the state of substantial revenue,” he cautioned.

The commission will soon launch an aggressive public education and awareness programme to ensure the existence and functions of the commission are well-known by all Ghanaians, especially business people who desire to venture into the postal and courier arena.

Osabarima Ansah said that the post remains the only cost-effective and easily accessible means of communications, particularly, for people living in rural areas; and that is why this commission is working assiduously with government to ensure the country has a vibrant and efficient postal service.

Mr. Emmanuel J. K. Arthur, Public Relations &consumer Affairs Manager, PCSRC, said the commission plans to create three zonal offices in Kumasi, Takrodi and Tamale to assist prospective operators to secure forms and submit them to the head offices.

Mr. Arthur said PCSRC is in the process of developing a website for the commission and is doing so in collaboration with the National Information Technology Authority (NATA).

The PCSRC licences and regulates postal and courier operations, and protects licenced operators and consumers from the unfair conduct of unlicenced/inefficient operators with regard to quality of postal services.