-
Network issues, cashless policy hamper smooth payment, vehicular movement
Motorists trying to go through the Makurdi-Lafia-Abuja Road Toll Gate are experiencing difficulties in paying the fare due to network issues from bank transfers and POS transactions.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited the toll gate on Thursday, reports that motorists are required to pay the toll fare through ATM or bank transfer but in cash, which is not allowed.
Those who could not pay through the electronic channels are stopped from passing through.
This is even as there are complaints of over-deduction from some motorists who made payments through the designated bank transfers and POS machines.
There were also reported issues of network glitches also causing delays in the payment of the toll fare.
A motorist, Friday Uche, said he had wanted to travel to Akwanga with other relatives since Wednesday – yesterday, February 5 – but could not because none of them had an ATM card to make payment and he could not make a transfer, explaining that they had no other option than to pass the night in Makurdi.
As at the time of this report early this afternoon, Uche and relatives were still making frantic efforts to pay the gate toll and pass.
He, however, lamented that even if he managed to pay the Makurdi toll, there were still other toll gates before Akwanga, wondering how he would deal with the challenges ahead.
He described the situation as “very frustrating”, lamenting that many motorists had no bank accounts or ATM cards to make electronic payments.
He, therefore, advised the authorities to also consider payment through cash as Nigeria is not fully a cashless society.
According to Mrs Gloria Tyoapine, the operators of the toll gate machines are mostly inexperienced and ill-trained, hence the reported cases of over-deduction.
“What is happening here is terrible. You have your money but can’t pay cash. They are operating a cashless policy here, and most of their staff are not well trained.
“A few minutes ago, a motorist who was to pay N500 was deducted N5,000.These staff don’t even have the capacity for a refund.
“Another issue is that of network glitches. This is really causing a lot of problems for motorists,” she said.
Mrs Grace Rifunji, Assistant Plaza Manager, Makurdi Toll Plaza, declined comments when journalists sought to speak with her, referring reporters to Catamaran Nigeria Limited, managers of the toll gates through the Federal Ministry of Works.
She said she was not authorised to speak to the media, adding that only officials at the headquarters would respond to the concerns of the motorists.
