Ghana Post repositioning itself for new challenges

Accra, July 6,GNA - The Ghana Post is repositioning itself to become an ultra-modern, viable commercial company, Mr Adu Adonteng, Managing Director, said on Wednesday.

He said technology and high competition within its area of operation posed enough challenge to its survival and ingenuity. Mr Adonteng was interacting with Members of the Parliamentary

Select Committee on Communication, who had paid a working visit to the Headquarters of Ghana Post in Accra.

Mr Akwasi Afrifa chairs the Committee, which has oversight responsibility over public-owned communication and media related organisations.

Mr Adonteng said Ghana Post (GP) was computerizing its counters, installing a mail-tracking device as part of several measures to ensure efficiency and to also repair its battered public image.

"We want to make the Post Office a world trade centre where one should be able to do all sort of business."

He said GP was collaborating with ECOBANK to reintroduce Post Office savings banking.

The head of GP said the Bank would take care of fund administration while GP provided personnel and accommodation.

"We would even take five thousand cedis as deposit. The idea is to encourage the habit of savings. I believe that very few banks would take 100,000 cedis as deposit."

He said the Company was using its outreach and vast network as an incentive for attracting investors and collaborators to offer a wide range of services.

According to Mr Adonteng, the Judiciary are about to use its network to help bailiffs serve judicial notices and summons quicker.

"The banks are also coming over to help them in their operations while the various examining bodies and tertiary institutions now want us to distribute their forms and collect them back for them."

He said the Company had started operating five Internet cafes on pilot basis in selected Post Offices in the country. He said GP would very soon become a full agent of Western Union and expressed the hope that some resources would be generated from that area.

"The post office is an edifice and service centre that would always be dear to the hearts of Ghanaians so we would do everything to make it viable," he said.

He said workers of GP were being reoriented to function, as they should in a competitive environment.

Mr Afrifa applauded GP for its vision and the will to outshine its competitors in the industry.

He suggested that they instituted an annual "Ghana Post Day" to educate and win more clients.

The Chairman asked that workers be well motivated as "you only achieve much when your staff is well motivated".

The group toured some selected departments of Ghana Post and interacted with some of the workers.