FG directs NRC to handover passenger identification to technology firm

•e-ticketing raises revenue by N400 million monthly

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to hand over ticketing and passengers’ identification to Secure ID, the company in charge of e-ticketing platform for Abuja-Kaduna rail service, to reduce crime and avoid security crises on the route.

Amaechi disclosed this when the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) presented the Full Business Case (FBC) certificates for Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri e-ticketing service to the Ministry of Transportation.

According to him, the introduction of e-ticketing platform for Abuja-Kaduna had increased generated revenue from about N100 million to N400 million monthly, successfully blocking revenue leakages.

“The benefit of e-ticketing is that we rose from N100 million to N400 million per month, which is an improvement. We have been able to do something that will eliminate leakages.

“On the issue of ticket racketeering, I have spoken to the person in charge of Abuja-Kaduna to take over the identification process from NRC. Because what the National Assembly told me was that NRC doesn’t cross-check the ID of passengers on the tickets, and the ticketing company had wanted to do it, but they have not got the approval from NRC.

“So I have told NRC to allow them to do it, so that we match faces with the names. It’s not all about crime 0but it’s also security. So, if we release it to the technology outfit, even though we cannot eliminate 100 per cent crime and corruption, it will reduce the danger of having to run into security crises, so that will know that what we are battling with is not crises in our terminals but on the way and I believe that will also be sorted out as we go to cabinet for approval of the security gadgets.”

Earlier, Acting Director-General of the ICRC, Michael Ohiani, said the concession is for 10 years, which will generate over N140 billion during the period and also create over 3000 direct and indirect jobs.

“The next phase is for the Minister to take it to the Federal Executive Council for approval and the Ministry of Justice will clear it,” Ohiani said.