The Minister
for Communication, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has congratulated the boards and
management of both Ghana Post and Metro Mass Transit company for coming
together to set up the Ghana Post Metro Mass Transit Domestic Parcel Business.
Speaking at
the launch of the new services yesterday, the Minister said he was particularly
happy that Ghana Post has seized the opportunity to take on board other
businesses that will make both they and Metro Mass Transit more viable and also
increase their revenue generation in these turbulent economic environments to
the mutual benefit of their respective operations.
He said it
is a well-known that when standardized, physical mail volumes are dwindling
worldwide and Ghana Post has got its share of this unfortunate downward trend
of affairs. Moreover, the Ghanaian transportation landscape is also heating up
with numerous competitors knocking at the doors of potential travelers for
patronage. This, he said, is the competitive transportation ecosystem in which
MMT operates.
“Ghana Post
and MMT have identified threats to their operations and have mounted a
response. I congratulate your respective Boards and Management for thinking
outside the box and innovating beyond your traditional business. More is expected
from you I must emphasize” he said.
The
delighted Minister said the present collaboration forged between Ghana Post and
Metro Mass Transit Company is an example of a partnership in which both
partners are harnessing their respective expertise in their fields of operation
and injecting it into the domestic parcel business.
“It is a known fact that Ghana Post is versed in
parcels and letters businesses while Metro Mass Transit Company can boast of
huge expertise in transporting goods and people over the years across the
entire country at very affordable cost. This lays the foundation for both
organizations to conveniently handle this new collaboration with ease for
enhanced revenue earnings” he said.
He was intrigued
by the fact that in this partnership, Ghana Post simply receives parcels at
parcels acceptance counters at MMT terminals for consolidation for immediate
transportation of same on the MMT routes to their terminals for onward delivery
by Ghana Post to addressees at reasonable cost.
“It should
not be surprising that the collaborators to this new initiative have teamed up
to run this local parcels business. Ghana Post has what it takes to provide
safe, accurate and timely delivery of parcels at reasonable cost, while MMT
conveys packages and people with speed, safely to their destinations at
reasonable cost also. Therefore this marriage is appropriate. It will earn
extra revenues for your mutual benefit” the Minister explained.
According to
Dr. Omane Boamah, Sub- Saharan Africa is said to be the territory whose parcel
business growth is below expectation compared to all other parts of the world
yet the potential to grow parcel businesses through e- commerce is huge
everywhere in the world. This, he said, goes to buttress the fact that the
collaboration is timely and should both sides remain committed to the venture,
and automate the service to support delivery with track and trace facilities, as
added value, both Ghana Post and Metro Mass can become a formidable parcel
business in Sub- Saharan Africa.
The Minister
therefore challenged both partners in this new business venture to introduce
appropriate
technology into their operations to ease the pressure from customers’ enquiries
for sent items. He urged them to take advantage of the Government’s
e-Government portal and national ICT backbone project in place to fast track
the automation of this valued service to engender growth and development of the
domestic parcels business.
He announced
that government’s programme to provide internet access to unserved and
underserved communities is progressing steadily. According to him, 12 months
from now, over 120 towns on the Eastern corridor will be benefiting from the
deployment of fixed broadband. This is a 780km optic fiber project. Wamale near
Tamale, Ho, Bawku and Yendi will
be part of the towns to benefit from the intervention. Garu, Seshie, Kugurago,
Nakpanduri, Gbintri, Katani, Zanteli, Gushiegu, Nawuni, Sakpeigu, Makayili,
Nakpachei, Bokpaba, Bimbila,
Damanko, Kpasa, Menuso-Nkwanta, Dodi-Pepesu, Kadjebi, Jasikan, Hohoe,
Golokwati-Biakpa are also prospective beneficiaries.
“Let me take
this opportunity to advise the public that the collaboration is a convenient
channel for traders to send their goods unaccompanied to any destination within
the country intact. Should an item taken on board get damaged or lost the owner
will certainly be compensated by the handlers according to the contractual
regulations in place. MDAS are encouraged to send their equipment, stationery items,
drugs and other goods via the same channel” he pointed out.
Dr. Omane
Boamah explained that the collaboration between Ghana Post and MMT as it stands
demonstrates the combined strengths of both parties which venture is destined
to succeed. He therefore commended and urged them to continue in their search for
other mutually healthy and rewarding partnerships to help engender business
growth in both companies for future development and prosperity.
The Minister
said he cannot wait to see the
transformation of Ghana Post into a modern postal service with diversified
sources of income which will ensure worker satisfaction, reinvestment into
their operations and payment of dividends to government. Ghana Post, he said,
can do it because they have lands, offices and human resource while government’s
support is available.