By Demi Adeniyi
Electronic ticketing on the two national standard gauge railway carriage of Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri will begin on Wednesday, November 1, the Minister of Transportation Mr Sa’idu Alkali, has said.
Alkali made this known on Monday in Abuja during the flag-off of e-ticketing for the national networks.
According to him, the e-ticketing system will ensure that ticket sales goes directly into the government’s account.
He added that the e-ticketing platform would significantly reduce the potential for corruption and revenue leakage.
“It will help to ensure the security of our passengers and avoid racketeering. It is the desire of this administration to have zero tolerance for corruption. All these are aimed to benefit our citizens,” he said.
The coordinating Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation nas well as the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Magdalene Ajani, said the Federal Government had really deepened efforts to ensure the dream of having an e-ticketing platform come to reality.
Ajani explained that electronic ticketing for the standard gauge would comfortably curb racketeering that is capable of negatively affecting the economy.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Fidet Okhiria, said the e-ticketing system would improve the integrity of operations in the sector.
Okhiria expressed optimism that the e-ticketing platform would increase revenue generation for the Federal Government.
According to him, the Federal Government had concessioned the Warri-Itakpe and Lagos–Ibadan routes to “Ticketing Solutions Limited” and “Global Software and Digital Solution” respectively for 10 years.
The two private firms said they would work effectively and efficiently to fulfil mandates to operate the system. (NAN)