The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) says it will begin penalising commuters who pay cash on any of its regulated transport services from August 1. The move follows its push for a cashless fare payment system.

LAMATA said the measure is aimed at promoting accountability, transparency and full compliance with its cashless fare payment system across regulated transport operations.

This was discussed on LAMATA X space with key stakeholders and transport leaders on Tuesday.

In addition, commuters were encouraged to report any driver or conductor requesting cash through LAMATA’s official email and customer service phone numbers.

LAMATA’s head of legal department, Idris Akinola, said laws and regulations governing the agency required commuters to use the approved electronic payment method (the Cowry Card) on regulated public transport services.

He also referred to Lagos state laws that treated both giving and receiving unauthorised payments (which he described as bribery in this context) as offences.

‘’This means both the person offering cash and the person accepting it may be held liable under the applicable laws,’’ he said.

Mr Akinola advised bus operators to employ trustworthy drivers and conductors. He also urged operators to carry out random internal inspections to ensure staff were not accepting cash and to support LAMATA’s random enforcement checks on buses. He said both parties, if convicted under the applicable laws, could face up to seven years’ imprisonment.

Managing director of Teejay Motors, Adekunle Tajudeen, said the company had held meetings and training sessions with its drivers and boarding officers to prepare for the transition.

“We have instructed our staff not to accept cash under any circumstances and have emphasised that passengers must use a Cowry Card,” he said.

On challenges faced by operators, Tajudeen said several TJ Motors drivers had previously been arrested and jailed for collecting cash. He argued that passengers were encouraging the practice by offering cash, so enforcement against commuters was intended to act as a deterrent.

He said that, to avoid disruptions, they recruited additional drivers and expanded their fleet, so removing non-compliant drivers from service would not leave commuters stranded.

One reason for enforcing the rule on commuters, Adepoju Fawokon, a public transport and urban mobility expert, explained, was that enforcing the policy only against drivers had not been enough.

“Since every cash transaction involves both the person offering cash and the person accepting it, LAMATA believes both parties should be held accountable. The goal is to reduce revenue leakage and protect the sustainability of the regulated bus system rather than punish commuters, Mr Fawokan said.

Addressing top-up complaints, the managing director of Touch and Pay Technologies, Olamide Afolabi, acknowledged that some commuters had complained about agents loading the wrong amount onto their Cowry cards.

Mr Afolabi noted that new technology to reduce disputes had been introduced: the Carry Hub and mobile app, where users can view recent top-ups and card balances.

(NAN)