PCSRC to collaborate with Police to flush out illegal operators

Mr. Isaac Annan Riverson, Acting Executive Secretary of Postal and Courier Regulatory Commission (PCSRC), says the commission is collaborating with Ghana Police Service, to flush out illegal operators in the sector to protect public interest.

He said the Commission would furnish the Police with the list of all licensed operators to assist in the exercise to arrest and prosecute the unlicensed ones.

Mr. Annan Riverson made this known at the PCSRC annual operators’ forum on the theme: “Towards an Efficient Postal and Courier Regulations in Ghana, the Postal and Courier Service Regulations” and the launching of the Postal and Courier service Regulations (L.I 2205) on Tuesday in Accra.

The Acting Executive Secretary said all registered operators use motorbikes as the main means by which they deliver parcels and documents.

“The Commission wishes to remind licensed operators that it is incumbent on them to ensure that all their delivery motorbikes are properly registered and licensed as required by the law and visibly branded to set them apart from other motorbikes plying the roads,” he said.

He added that operators should ensure that their riders have valid licenses and wear crash helmets as well as reflective jackets whenever they go on delivery.

“It is our hope that the Police will continue to deal with proven licensed operators with care and in a timely manner so as to ensure that they are not unduly constrained in their operations.”

He said since becoming operational, the Commission has been engaging in activities aimed at promoting and encouraging the expansion of postal and courier services, as well as an efficient system for the delivery of mail and parcels throughout the country.

"As mandated by our establishment Act, the Commission has been registering, licensing and regulating the operations of all postal and courier services in Ghana, currently, the Commission has licensed about 65 operators across the country" he added.

He noted that regulations primarily relate to the ability of the consumer to access postal and courier services with relatives ease, at a competitive price and a fairly good quality.

Mr. Annan Riverson said: “ it is for all these reasons and more that the Ministry of Communications and the PCSRC invested in drafting the Postal and Courier service Regulations which have since November 2013 come into force as the Postal and Courier service Regulations, 2013 (L.I 2205).”

Naa Yagr II, Director of Postal Policy at the Ministry of Communication who represented the Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, said promulgation of Postal and Courier Service Regulations 2013, seeks to strengthen the Commission to discharge its functions.

He said some of the specific issues addressed by the regulations included disposal of undeliverable postal articles, treatment of postal articles of dead persons, ensuring postal security and safety and development of compensation policies, and payment of compensation by postal and courier service providers.

He explained that the regulations were published and re-laid in Parliament on June 16, 2013, and fully matured before it came into force in November 2013 as required under the Article 11(7) of the 1992 Constitution.

The Director said having committed funds from the E-Government Project to sponsor the drafting of the regulations, government went on to commission the preparation of a Strategic Plan for PCSRC to help it grow by extending its influence to all corners of the country for monitoring purposes through the establishment of its physical presence on the ground agents.

He noted that the Commission could not maintain its presence in all the 10 regions.