From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
The Nyanya-Keffi Expressway is notorious for heart-breaking gridlock for its users. This is because the road is the only gateway to many states like Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Benue.
There have been claims that the highway hosts over 100 million vehicles on daily basis, making it one of the busiest roads in the country. Unfortunately, commuters have no alternative routes to these states.
As a result, the corridor is inundated with heavy traffic. Because of overuse, it is always going dilapidated, a situation that calls for constant attention. Government agencies responsible for maintaining the road seemed to have neglected it. This must have attracted attention of some individuals to fill in the gap.
The need to make the highway motor able has thrown up different emergency road workers whose intentions may vary. But the intention of Daniel Davo is far from being pecuniary. Rather, it was motivated by joblessness and idleness. If he could make motoring easy for people, he may meet people that can employ him as a driver, his profession.
But he has not been lucky. Born in 1964, he has spent over 24 years of in mending Abuja roads, offering service to humanity. With six children and a wife, Davo still maintains Nyanya-Keffi Expressway with his resources, time and energy.
He started by using his car to move bitumen from construction sites to his site in Nyanya. Unfortunately he lost the car in the process of mending roads. A truck rammed the car and destroyed it.
Now, the “one man” emergency road maintenance agency hires a car for N2000 daily and loads it with bitumen, which he uses on the road. For him, if he can make movement easy for people, God will make his ways easy.
From making movement easy for motorists, the venture turned out as a source of livelihood. People began to favour him with financial and material gifts: “When I came to Abuja I was looking for a job. Now, it is over 20 years. Before (Sani) Abacha died I have been doing this work.
“I started doing the work when the road was one lane. I discovered that before you secure a job in Nigeria you must know someone.
“So, I began to do this type of work to appeal to the emotions and feelings of people. If I am helping the government, the government should in turn compensate me.
“I am a driver. I am doing this to help my family and I. I have a wife and six children. I live in Jikwoyi, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and I am from Plateau State. I get materials from construction sites.
People on Jikwoyi Road, where I started from are moving freely.
“My passion is to make people move freely. But I want the government to help me too. I lost my car through this job. I hire this car for N2000. At times, I get up to that amount and at times I will not recover it. The owner (of the car) is also happy with me. He is seeing what I am doing.
“My children have no option. Since I don’t have anything doing and this is what gives me happiness they have no objection than to allow me.”
On how the owner of the car reacts if he does not meet up with the agreed term: “If I don’t get it I plead with him and if I have I give him.
“He knows that I am using his car to move heavy load. But since I am paying him he does not bother. However, I am always careful.”