FG Moves To Stop Ticket Racketeering In Railway Sector
The Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, has directed that every prospective passenger must present Identity Cards before obtaining tickets at ticket sales points to spot hoarding of First Class Tickets by some officials of the Nigerian Railway Corporation and transfer of tickets from one passenger to another.
It was learnt that the practice is rampant amongst passengers at Idu and Rigassa Railway Stations along the Abuja to Kaduna Railway Line.
The Minister posited that currently, the Corporation is planning to boost its frequency, saying the Federal Executive Council has approved the importation of Seven Coaches to boost transit of passengers in the Kaduna to Abuja axis.
He added that by the time the Coaches arrive before the end of the year, the pressure on the existing stock of Coaches will be reduced.
Harping on the Narrow Railway line, the Minister reeled out the corporation’s short and long term plans to revitalize the Corporation.
According to him, part of the short term plan is the in-house refurbishing programme aimed at refurbishing the existing Coaches and Wagons in the fleet of the Corporation while the long term plan entails the concession of the Corporation to General Electric so as to enhance importation of additional Rolling stocks.
Director of Operations and Acting Managing Director of the Corporation, Mr. Niyi Alli who dropped this hint recently in Lagos, appealed to passengers wishing to enter the Kaduna to Abuja passenger train to obtain Identity Cards as passengers who don’t have Identification Cards will not be allowed to board the train.
He also directed that each passenger on presentation of identity card will be issued a ticket with his or her name boldly written to forestall the possibility of transferring tickets to the highest bidders which has been the practice in recent times.
According to him, some staff of the Corporation allegedly involved in hoarding first class tickets have been redeployed while some Senior staff have been posted to Idu and Rigassa to ensure full compliance with the directive.
He explained further that by the time the Ajaokuta to Warri Railway line is completed, it will enhance the evacuation of bulky goods from the Warri port to the hinterland and other parts of the country.
