The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has suspended members of staff who were seen in a viral video negotiating with passengers on the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service without obtaining tickets.
On Tuesday, the corporation promised to punish erring members of staff who are bent on tarnishing the image of the state-owned enterprise.
NRC issued this threat on Tuesday via a statement on X (formerly Twitter) following a complaint lodged by Daramola E. Adenike (@Dara4Enjoyment) about its official.
Adenike explained in details how several passengers in one of the coaches did not obtain tickets, but the NRC officials collected cash from them.
On Wednesday, the management of NRC swung into action by suspending the erring staff in the viral video through a statement signed by spokesman Yakub Mahmood.
“Following a viral video that has been trending on various social media platforms vividly showing Railway Staff negotiating with our esteemed passengers on-board Lagos-Ibadan Train Service (LITS) to pay without obtaining official boarding tickets, the general public is invited to note that the NRC seriously condemns such acts of misconduct, which is a flagrant disobedience to laid down rules and utter betrayal of the confidence reposed on such workers, especially at this time that the Federal Government is making all efforts to revitalizing and modernizing the Corporation,” Mahmood said.
“This misconduct is regrettable and unacceptable as it negates the tenets and norms of the corporation.
“The Corporation has therefore placed the identified erring officers on immediate suspension pending the outcome of the in-depth investigation already ongoing by the Management Committee set up to look into the issue.
“Our esteemed passengers and the general public are assured that this unwholesome attitude and image dent to the Corporation by any staff will not be tolerated nor treated with any levity.
“Accordingly, disciplinary proceedings in line with the extant rules citing relevant sections of the NRC General Rules and Public Service Rules (PSR) will definitely be visited on all those found wanting or connected to this irresponsible act.”
The Management of the NRC also used this medium to enjoin all its intending passengers on LITS and other train corridors to insist on and demand for boarding tickets after making appropriate payments at the designated stations or book online appropriately.
Mahmood also called on the public to please note that the electronic ticketing system is being deployed and will be available on both the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service and the Warri-Itakpe Train Service (WITS) by the end of October 2023.
