Metro Mass Transit Domestic Parcel Business launched

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.