Confusion at Idu Rail station as NRC introduces e-ticketing

As is always characteristic of Nigeria, complete confusion and frustration has been created by the Nigeria Railway Corporation Management in the name of implementation of online payment. It is unheard of that the management decided to start online payment today and completely stopped cash payment. The confusion includes:

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1. Not many people have smartphones and the internet to access their website, so they are wondering in confusion compromising the government social distancing COVID-19 protocol.
2. NRC has no way of verifying payment through a terminal. Those who paid and their telephone goes off cannot be verified hence cannot travel.
3. They have to physically collect everybody’s telephone thus compromising the social distancing promoted by the same government.
4. The handheld instrument is not effective. It takes up to three minutes and sometimes a longer time to verify payment.
5. The management has completely stopped cash payment. So, no alternative to their web-based payment.
6. Though global practice online payment are usually cheaper since it reduces the risk of handling cash, allows the organisation to get money in advance etc. The NRC increased the ticket price by more than five per cent because of online payment.
7. After creating confusion, they eventually allowed cash payment long after the departure time.
8. NRC eventually sold tickets through cash payment for seats already sold through online payment because they have no means of verifying those who paid online.
9. Inside the train, confusion and fighting all over.

All this is happening not because Nigeria does not have intelligent, patriotic and reasonable people to manage its affair. It is because we have a system that consistently promotes the most useless and visionless people to lead and manage us. It is very unfortunate.

Mohammed Shehu