In line with President Mohamadu Buhari’s promise to improve on the infrastructural development and take it to the Next Level., the Honorable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Ameachi yesterday in his office received a full business Certificate for E-ticketing in the Rail sector.
Speaking during the presentation of the certificate to the Minister, the Director General of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Engr. Chidi K Izuwah said the project was a private partnership participation (PPP), where the private sector will invest money to develop, deploy and operate the integrated ticketing solutions.
According to him, with the platform, Nigerians will be able to buy tickets from anywhere in the country the way is being done in advanced countries, adding that the Nigerian Railway Corporation has gone through the procurement process in line with the ICRC ACT via a competitive bid process and a preferred bidder has being identified.
Izuwah said that due diligence was carried out to verify the Technical, Financial and Managerial competence to secure the job.
The ICRC boss among other things said the objective of the project includes, increase revenue for NRC, reduction in fraud and also increase in passengers purchase option. “We want to increase passengers convenience in buying our tickets”, he said.
On monitoring, the MD of railway does not need to move around the various stations, hence a platform will be on his desk from where he can monitor the activities of the cooperation, he added.
Responding, the Minister of Transportation thanked the ICRC Team for their quick and supportive response role, noting that due to their collaborative effort, the time line for the processing has reduced.
According to him, “we have been on this project for two years now, since we met in China and the people were clamouring for E-ticketing. I agreed that it was a solution to the madness of rushing to get tickets at train stations, when it can be achieved from the comfort of your home or office”, he said.
Ameachi said, by the time the project is presented to the President at the Federal Executive council and approved, only those with approved and authorized tickets for boarding will be found around the train stations, hence discouraging those people standing during train ride, adding that discussions is on going to approach the Chinese to get more coaches.
