By EMMANUEL ANTSWEN

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, as payment in cash was not allowed.

NAN reports that those who could not pay through the electronic channels were stopped from passing through.

NAN also reports that there were complaints of over-deduction from some motorists who made paymebts through the designated bank transfers and POS machines.

There were also reported issues of network glitches, which were also causing delays in the payment of the toll fare.

Speaking to NAN, a motorist, Friday Uche, said he wanted to travel to Akwanga with other relatives since Wednesday, but was stopped because they did not have an ATM to make payment, and he could not make a transfer.

Uche said they had no option but to pass the night in Makurdi on Wednesday, adding that he was still making efforts to see if they could pay and pass.

He explained that there were other toll gates before Akwanga, noting that even if he passed the Makurdi toll gate, he would have challenges with the ones ahead.

He said the situation was very frustrating, as many Nigerians who owned cars had no bank accounts or ATM cards to make such payments.

He therefore advised the authorities to also consider payment through cash as Nigeria was not fully a cashless society.

Also, Mrs Gloria Tyoapine, told NAN that the operators of the toll gate machines were mostly inexperienced and not well 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.

When NAN attempted to speak to an official, Mrs Grace Rifunji, Assistant Plaza Manager, Makurdi Toll Plaza, she declined comments.

Rifunji however, referred the reporter 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. (NAN)