By Edith Ike-Eboh
The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) says it is partnering Ukpa Hansa Energy Solutions Limited, an indigenous energy firm, to deploy solar energy across the country.
The PostMaster General of the Federation, Dr Ismail Adewusi, disclosed this at the unveiling of the solar products in Abuja, on Thursday.
He said that the Federal Government was re-engineering and re-inventing NIPOST through collaboration with different stakeholders from the public and private sectors.
According to him, government is also leveraging on technology to present an array of innovative products and services aimed at meeting the divergent needs of Nigerians.
“In recent time, globalization, coupled with the growth in e-commerce aided with the advent of new communication technology, has forced many postal administrations to explore ways of expanding their frontiers.
“This is done through collaboration with relevant stakeholders in order to meet the emerging challenges in the communication sector,’’ he said.
Adewusi said this was what necessitated its renewed effort to use its extensive postal outlets to provide innovative and unique products and services to the Nigerian citizenry in collaboration with both public and private sector institutions.
“The unveiling of Hansa Green Energy Solutions, product of Ukpa Hansa Energy Solutions Limited, today is a result of such collaboration through our Agency Service and our contributions toward the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the Federal Government.
“ Today, the Post is a key vehicle to achieving the United Nations 2020 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals in all countries.
“As part of the world postal network of over 660,000 post offices, NIPOST is placed in a vantage position with about 5000 postal outlets consisting of full-fledged post offices, postal agencies and post shops, with over 12000 employees across the country.
“We are making available post office counters nationwide to Ukpa Hansa Energy Solutions Limited to markets its products to Nigerians.
“This will help in the advocacy for clean energy by delivering energy solutions. From today, this service would be available in our post offices nationwide on demand by customers,” he said
In his remarks, the Managing Director of Ukpa Hansa Energy Solutions Limited, Chief Ewie Aimienwauu, said the partnership with NIPOST was designed to address the issue of epileptic electricity situation in the country.
He said that the idea was to take electricity to the homes of people living in remote parts of the country without the opportunity of connecting to the national grid.
Aimienwauu said that the deal would see NIPOST distribute the solar energy products at its offices and post offices across the length and breadth of the country.
He said that with the partnership, solar energy solutions would be provided to homes at affordable rates.
According to him, it will address the challenge of difficulty of low income households to enjoy stable electricity supply.
“This partnership between NIPOST and Ukpa Hansa is one that will bring succor to Nigerians; give electricity to the remotest part of Nigeria where the hope for electricity from the national grid would not materialize, even in the next 10 years.
“ With this solution, electricity would no longer be a problem,” he said. (NAN)
