Postal Authority Director to YT: Electronic Rial to revolutionize bill payment methods in Yemen [Archives:2002/29/Interview]

The General Postal Authority has made great strides to develop the postal service in Yemen. The introduction of a computerized network system that links the different postal offices of the authority across the country has indeed given a thrust to its overall performance.
Mohammed Al Masani of Yemen Times met with Mohammed Ali Murghim, General Director of the Authority and discussed with him a range of issues.
Following are excerpts of the interview.
Q: What has the Authority achieved so far?
A: Many things! Overall we have improved tremendously, especially concerning revenues of the authority which witnessed an increase of YR. 100 million in 2001. Within the last couple of months, the Authority successfully introduced a range of new services to meet clients demands. We have connected our offices nationwide via a computer network to facilitate and expedite our work. The service of postal savings for schools is also a step to encourage students to benefit from our services. We have launched a campaign to inform students about this service in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.
The Electronic Rial has also been introduced as the first phase of the IT city Yemen intends to bring to life. Pensions and social care allowances are now paid through the authoritys offices. We believe that it is the first step to revolutionize the payment methods in Yemen.
We have also agreed with Sabafon and Spacetel Yemen to deliver and collect bills in the main cities of the Republic in cooperation through their representatives.
As for the infrastructure projects of the authority, we have disbursed YR. 500 million to renovate and rehabilitate buildings of our offices to cope with our expanding services.
The authority has recently recruited 83 new highly qualified staffers capable of efficiently running its different departments.
Q: Can you please brief us on the e-rial service provided by your authority?
A: The e-rial service is the most modern service the authority has recently started. Through this service, we intend to cope with the huge IT revolution shaping the world.
The e-rial is used for paying bills online through using prepaid cards which include coded numbers. Using those codes, the client can pay for a number of services and do some shopping on the World Wide Web (WWW). The Postal Authoritys website is one of the websites that can be accessed to collect bills and do payments. This service will enable the people to pay bills in a convenient manner wherever and whenever they wish around the clock.
Q: What are the monitoring measures which the authority guarantees and how does it deal with public complaints?
A: Our objective is to satisfy clients and gain their trust and confidence. We have established a monitoring system to follow the work progress of our employees and evaluate the accomplished tasks in all postal service departments. There are several monitoring units in every postal area to identify the problems which may face clients or staffers. We do the best to maintain the highest level of quality and efficiency by using the most technologically advanced programs and equipment. As for public complaints, we take them seriously and study each and every individual complaint carefully to guarantee that problems are solved and clients are satisfied. There is an operation room that receives citizens complaints around the clock, which also works on providing preventive measures to avoid any possible mistakes in order to promote postal services.
Q: Do you have any plans to reduce postal service fees?
A: There are many schemes and international conventions issued by the International Postal Union to regulate fees for all countries. In fact, our fees are extremely low compared to other countries. We believe our fees are suitable for ordinary people because we are not after gaining money but rather after serving society and people.
Q: Do you have any plans to enhance postal services in rural areas?
A: We are planning to establish a post office in every governorate to meet the citizens needs and to be at their service. We have the priority post and parcel post services which cover most of the country, and we are looking forward to have long-term plans to establish services in remote areas as well.
Q: How can your authority contribute to the Aden Free Zone?
A: Aden is the commercial and economical capital of Yemen and has a bright future as a free zone city. Of course postal services will contribute significantly in increasing development activities and serve as an essential infrastructure element for the city. We already rebuilt about 12 offices in Aden to cope with this development. Businessmen and investors cannot invest without a strong postal infrastructure that is reliable, affordable, and technologically advanced. We believe that the promotional post service and the e-rial would serve business at the Aden Free Zone well.
Q: How do you view the postal future in Yemen?
A: We have many future plans to enhance postal services in the country. One of those plans is the introduction of new electronic services to meet the society needs in an ever-changing era. We are planning to expand the current services to gain more clients, who could afford and use our services. We are also developing the national computerized network to facilitate the postal process, and we are working to establish more postal offices and provide them with up-to-date equipment as well as qualified staffers to serve the public in the best way possible.
Q: Are you satisfied with what you have achieved up to now?
A: We are happy with what we have done so far, but we still have much more to do in modernizing the postal services and expanding them to greater heights and dimensions. We have a lot of ambitions and expectations, so keep your fingers crossed for greater developments in the postal arena.

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