Yemeni Posts & Postal Savings Corporation: From Good to Better [Archives:2001/06/Interview]
February 5 2001
There has been a clear development and progress in the corporation as the number of employees, transporting vehicles, equipment, machines, vehicles for postal delivery and services has increased. Ismail al-Ghabri of the Yemen Times met with Abdullatif Ahmad Abo Ghanem, DG of Posts & Postal Saving Corporation – Sanaa Region and filed the following interview:
Q: Telecommunication means are now developing by leaps and pounds, particularly in this age of the internet. Where does the Posts and Postal Savings Corporation stand in this fierce competition?
A: In this era of the internet and the clearly marked competition to render services, the corporation is doing its best to match all the radical, contemporary developments in terms of rendering services through the use of state-of-the-art telecommunications means. That is, through using a computer network and by following up Express Mail Services (EMS). We also follow letters from other posts through the International union post network. This system is being installed and we are in the final stages of this project. By installing this system we have made laudable strides in terms of catching up with all the international development in this field. Now most of the services rendered to clients are being made through the computer network including postal orders, postal savings, salary services and accounting work.
To elaborate on these services:
1) Postal savings are conducted through the computer network in all the governorates of the republic within minutes. Clients are allowed to deposit their money in saving accounts at the closest post office. They can also withdraw money or deposit after hours or minutes, from any other post office in any governorate.
2) Postal order system through the computer network: a new system is being installed to send postal orders. Any citizen can send cash to any governorate with ease and within minutes. This is a turning point in telecommunications services. Besides, military and Interior ministry pensions are also paid from any post office through posted cheques with the help of modern means. Soon the current account system will be inaugurated with whoever deals with the post. By this system everyone will be able to deposit his salary to his account directly. He can also withdraw money any time he likes. We can not deny the fact that the revolution in telecommunication and the internet have affected the post considerably. However, the new and modern services installed for postal services have compensated the decrease in revenues. The competition has actually given the post a push and an incentive to mark its presence and to keep abreast with all that is new.
The widespread use of these services goes to show the trust and confidence of people in our services. Besides, increases in the revenues of the corporation prove that we are rendering competitive services. We also have to refer to the fact that internet services are also a vital marketing factor for the post as peoples requests on goods through the post services grows. The authority has also established the service of carrying and delivering goods internally. It also renders parcels services through the EMS, locally and internationally.
Q: What are the outstanding services the post renders?
A: Beside the main postal services, postal parcels, post boxes, the post office renders the following services:
1) EMS
2) Advertisement post service
3) Goods delivery, and governmental post service
4) Interior and Defense Ministry pension payment
5) Postal savings
6) Postal order
7) Distributing female students support by the world bank through the coordination unit and the Ministry of Education.
8) Payable telecommunication cards Tele-Yemen.
9) Audience requests on TV and radio.
Q: Some people complain about the delay in receiving letters, others do not receive their letters at all. What is your comment?
A: There is no delay in the exact sense, except for some letters that do not have a clear address or those that have wrong post boxes. So they are either stuck in the offices or sometimes, these letters reach the wrong post boxes.
Regarding the post of governmental institutions the delay sometimes occurs mainly because of the secretaries of these institutions who put off delivering these letters to the post. The office is not responsible in these cases for the delay.
Q: How many post offices and subscribers to post boxes are there in the capital secretariat?
A: The number of offices within the capital secretariat is 15 and the number of subscribers to post boxes is 18 thousand.
Q: What are the projects you are working on and the main obstacles facing you?
A: The authority plans to expand its financial services over all post offices in most of the cities. We are also working to improve the performance level and simplify procedures in offices. We are also working to complete and generalize the computer network in all the accounting offices. We intend to improve and train the new cadre to perform well and to be up to standard. We are also equipping offices with all the machines needed to work with professionalism.
As for the obstacles, we lack some equipment and machines to meet the growing demands of customers. Another challenge is the few qualified cadre. Another obstacle is the streets and houses which are not numbered and the low salaries of employees.
Q: Any last comment?
A: I would like to thank the YT for shedding light on the post corporation and its services. I call upon all the official institutions and those of the private sector to cooperate with our corporation so that we continue to render the best services to all sections of our society.
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