The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) has advised all commuters in the State to only use authorised Bank Accounts to pay for transport services.
A statement signed by the Consultant, Corporate Communication of LAMATA, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi noted that the Agency is aware of a viral video in which a group of ladies claimed that an official asked that payment for a train ride should be made to a personal bank account due to their inability to make payment via available POS machines arising from POS network downtime.
Ojelabi explained that any ride on regulated public transport in Lagos State is paid for using the Cowry Card. According to him, to load a Cowry Card, commuters may either use a POS machine, load money from their personal account to a wallet linked to the Card, or to a designated collecting account by the service provider, Touch and Pay Limited.
He emphasised that each train station has a unique account number attached to it. For instance, the Marina Station account would read “COWRY MARINA” to enable the provider to determine from which station payment was made. “No transfer should be made to any personal account under any guise”, the Consultant warned.
While noting that the State Government appreciates concerted efforts to ensure probity in all official transactions, Ojelabi pointed out that the claim in the viral video does not define or represent the services offered on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line system from Marina to Mile 2.
He, therefore, appealed that in any case of infraction in the system by anyone, the general public should send an email to info@lamata-ng.com or call/SMS/WhatsApp +234-909-952-6282.