Determined to end the increasing complaints of ticket racketeering at the Abuja-Kaduna railway station, the Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Alkali, has set up a Committee to investigate the alleged sharp practices by operators.
This was as stakeholders in the nation’s aviation, transportation and marine sectors have urged the Federal Government to properly harness the potentials in these sectors, to actualise an efficient, sustainable transportation system in the country.
Senator Alkali disclosed his strategy towards addressing the racketeering allegation while speaking in Abuja, at the 4th edition of the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA) Annual Workshop.
The theme of the workshop was: “Harnessing the Aviation, Railway, Marine and Blue Economy Sectors for Sustainable Transportation in Nigeria”.
Recall that there had been reports of some officials of the Abuja-Kaduna railway station taking advantage of passengers’ difficulties with the online booking platform to engage in ticket racketeering, a development that has attracted much public outcry.
Accordingly, the Minister, who was represented at the event by his Technical Adviser, Prof Shuaibu Danwanka, said that the station manager had been redeployed, and another manager was directed to take over with immediate effect so that the Committee could objectively and transparently investigate the allegation.
“About three or four days ago, with the increasing complaints of irregularities and malpractice associated with e-ticketing in the railway stations, particularly the Abuja-Kaduna route, the Minister has set up a Committee to critically investigate the matter with very comprehensive terms of reference.
“He directed the Committee to investigate and report within a period of two weeks and also urged the Committee to make appropriate recommendations for administrative and quality measures that will be taken against any defaulter”.
Alkali observed that the major ingredients of sustainability are availability and affordability, saying “If the tickets are not available, even though they are affordable, the transport system by rail which is more convenient, safer, and attractive will not be sustainable”.
Meanwhile, relevant stakeholders in the nation’s aviation, transportation and marine sectors, who attended the ATACA workshop, have urged the Federal Government to properly harness the potential in these sectors of the economy, to actualise an efficient, sustainable transportation system.
President, Nigeria Bangladesh Business Technology Forum, Arc. Bob Achanya, while speaking on the ‘Nexus of Multimodal Transportation Systems’, said that the concept of multimodal transportation was not new, pointing out that its strategic integration within Nigeria’s emerging blue economy framework had provided unparalleled opportunities.
He stated that the aviation, railway, and marine sectors, when interconnected efficiently, would create a seamless and resilient transportation network, assuring that the network would enhance connectivity, reduce transportation costs, and boost the overall efficiency of the country’s logistics and supply chain systems.
On the ongoing projects within the sectors, Achanya said in the Aviation sector: “We have the expansion of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the new terminals at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja; in the marine sector, we have the Lekki Deep Sea Port project, valued at $1.5 billion, which is a game-changer, poised to become the largest deep-sea port in West Africa”.
On the Blue Economy, he pointed out that initiatives like the Nigeria-Kenya Integrated Blue Economy Strategy Forum and the proposed Nigeria-Kenya Blue Economy Transition Strategy Summit were steps in the right direction.
Moreover, he said that the integration of multimodal transportation systems within Nigeria’s emerging blue economy presents a unique opportunity to foster sustainable economic growth, adding that, “by leveraging the strengths of our aviation, road, railway, marine, and blue economy sectors, we can create a resilient and efficient transportation network that drives national relevance and prosperity”.
However, the Executive Director of Aulic Group, Prof. Nick Ezeh, stated that the government has no business in the business of selling train tickets, insisting that such should be left to the private sector.
Ezeh posited that what the government should do was create a working transport system in the country.
In his address of welcome, the ATACA Chairman, Leonard Oru called for more security measures to ensure the safety of the transportation system and business in Nigeria, saying: “For our transportation system and businesses, whether Air, Land or Sea to thrive, Security and Safety is key.
“Therefore, we implore Security agents, regulators and enforcers of the relevant laws to step up their game.”