Reps to probe Railway corporation’s automated e-ticketing process

The House of Representatives on Tuesday unveiled plans to investigate the e-ticketing process initiated by Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) for Abuja-Kaduna Train Services.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon Zayyad Ibrahim, who observed that the Abuja-Kaduna train services were officially commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, 26 July 2016 to provide the much-needed alternative means of transportation between Abuja and Kaduna.

While acknowledging that there has been a tremendous increase of passengers at Idu and Kubwa Train Stations in Abuja, as well as at Rigasa Station in Kaduna due to the increased security challenges on the Abuja and Kaduna Expressway, he decried the “increase in the number of passengers led to ticket-racketeering.”

The lawmaker frowned at the “ugly practice that led to the arrest of five suspected train ticket racketeers in 2019 by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and on 21, January 2021, the Minister of Transportation officially launched the Automated E-Ticketing System to address complaints of ticket racketeering.

“The House is aware that the Project, which is operated by a private firm named Secured 18 Company Limited under Public-Private-Partnership with the Federal Government, is valued at N900 million and the Concessionaires are expected to be paid in 10 years.

“The House is also aware that the E-Ticketing System for the Abuja-Kaduna Train Services enables commuters to book tickets online, thus curbing ticket racketeering and the stress of purchasing tickets at the Train Stations.

“The House is concerned that ticket racketeering, which the E-Ticketing System sought to eradicate, is still going on unabated as tickets can no longer be adequately accessed online due to the mischievous activities of some people who racketeer the tickets and resell to passengers at exorbitant prices.

“The House is cognizant that if the activities of racketeers are not curbed, passengers will continue to be denied the privilege of accessing the train services as, sometimes, a train may leave the station without carrying the required number of passengers, because the tickets are not accessible or affordable to the majority of passengers,” he noted.

While urging managements of NRC and Secured 18 Company Limited to strengthen their internal mechanism with a view to eradicating ticket racketeering, the House mandated its Committee on Land Transport to investigate the matter and report back within two weeks for further legislative action.

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