• Gives Deadline For Licensing Of Courier Operators.

The Enugu State government has expressed its willingness to support genuine logistics service providers to boost the economy of the state.

This was made known by the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Emeka Ajogwu, during a stakeholders meeting with the association of courier operators in the state in Enugu, Tuesday.

He observed that a dialogue with the operators had become necessary, following increasing reports of the constant breaches of security due to the lack of coordination and chaotic nature of logistic service operations in the state.

Ajogwu said the government had discovered that the courier service providers were not organised, adding that people simply went to purchase motorcycles and put them on the roads without any registration by the government.

He expressed concern that courier service providers operated by midnight without any means of identification showing they were genuine business operators.

“We have also heard that some of the bad eggs among you are hiding under the cover of this business to peddle drugs and move around small arms and light weapons within the metropolis. This is unacceptable and a concern to the government”, he said

Ajogwu said the administration of Dr. Peter Mbah was taking the issue of security very seriously, adding the governor’s ambitious vision of exponential economic growth through private sector investment could not be achieved without an effective security architecture.

“We called this meeting so that we will all agree on the measures to put in place going forward, so that we will begin to separate the wheat from the chaff, so that genuine business owners will not be affected by the unscrupulous activities of those who are not genuine.

“Your operations must be organized and regulated so that the logistics industry can play its rightful role in our economy. Henceforth, all operators of logistics companies in Enugu State state must be licensed by the Ministry of Transport.

“All unbranded and unnumbered motorcycles should not ply our roads. Every company must brand their motorcycles and every bike will have a number^, he stated.

The commissioner further directed that every rider should dress in their company’s uniform and carry a valid identity card issued by the company. Also, operators were to keep records of delivery pick-ups, their locations and phone numbers, while a waybill for all items in the delivery box must be readily available on demand by the authorities.

He said genuine dispatch riders should not be on the road by 8 pm except he or she was verified, certified and authenticated by the relevant authorities.

Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu, who was represented by the Area Commander, Enugu Police Area Command, ACP. S.D West said the meeting was informed by the need to check non-state actors who were exploiting the porous space created by the logistics industry in the state.

“We need to buy into the vision of the state government. Get your bikes properly identifiable so that we can know those who are not part of you. It will help us to fish them out. I want you all to look at it objectively. You will see that the whole vision is for the state to be secured for everyone,” he said

Reacting to the new directives, the interim chairperson of the Courier Operators Association, Bar. Adaora Okoye said the association would comply with the state government’s demands, while also noting that licensing of operators would bring sanity to the logistics industry in the state.