…Donates ₦3m to community development, ₦500,000 for woman’s medical treatment
Matilda Omonaiye/
Action Peoples Party (APP) candidate for Imo East Senatorial District, Mazi Chima Matthew Amadi, has called for concerted efforts to break the cycle of poverty in Imo State, declaring that ordinary Nigerians should not be condemned to perpetual hardship in a country endowed with abundant human and material resources.
Amadi also urged women across Imo East to convert their numerical strength and grassroots influence into electoral power by demanding accountable, responsive and development-driven representation at the ballot box.
He spoke at the annual August Meeting of the Women’s Wing of the Okpulla Amakaohia Development Union (OADU) in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, where he praised the women for their contributions to grassroots development and community cohesion.
According to a statement by his spokesman, Cajetan Duke, Amadi, an academic and social entrepreneur from Umuekwenne in Ngor Okpala, expressed concern over worsening socioeconomic conditions across communities in the state.
He identified poor healthcare delivery, decaying public infrastructure, declining standards in public schools, bad roads, unemployment and economic hardship as some of the major challenges confronting residents.
Amadi blamed the situation on years of poor representation and misplaced priorities, arguing that governments and elected representatives at all levels must become more responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens.
“The poor can’t continue to remain poor while a privileged few continue to prosper from our collective resources. Our mothers cannot continue to struggle with medical bills, our children cannot continue to learn in dilapidated schools, and our young people cannot continue to roam the streets without jobs and opportunities. Government must work for the ordinary people,” he said.
The APP candidate said women bear a disproportionate share of economic hardship because of their pivotal roles in sustaining families and communities.
He challenged them to translate their grassroots influence into political power by supporting leaders capable of delivering tangible development and holding elected representatives accountable.
Amadi also expressed concern over the deteriorating state of public education, warning that failure to reverse the trend could deepen inequality and shut children from poor families out of opportunities for social and economic advancement.
“As a son of nobody who is a proud product of public schools, I weep daily seeing education gradually becoming the exclusive preserve of privileged members of society,” he said.
“Public education gave people like us the opportunity to dream beyond the circumstances of our birth. We must rebuild a society where the child of the poor has the same opportunity to dream, learn and succeed.”
The gathering took an emotional turn when Amadi encountered an elderly woman with a conspicuous growth around her throat.
Moved by her condition, he donated ₦500,000 towards her medical evaluation and treatment, saying her plight illustrated the difficulties faced by many Nigerians who cannot afford basic healthcare.
“What we have seen here today is beyond politics. It is about our common humanity. Nobody should have to carry an illness for years simply because she cannot afford medical attention,” Amadi said.
He also announced a ₦3 million donation towards development initiatives of the Okpulla Amakaohia Development Union.
Amadi commended the women for sustaining the traditional August Meeting, describing the annual gathering as an important platform for community development, social cohesion and greater participation of women in grassroots affairs.
He, however, cautioned against communities being compelled to shoulder responsibilities that should ordinarily be funded and delivered by government.
The senatorial candidate urged the women to scrutinise how public resources are deployed and demand accountability from elected officials, stressing that elections give citizens the power to reward effective representation and reject non-performing leaders.
Responding, National Vice President of the OADU Women’s Wing, Mrs Victoria Ugochi Chukwu, thanked Amadi for identifying with the community and supporting its development aspirations.
Chukwu particularly commended his ₦3 million donation and ₦500,000 intervention for the elderly woman, describing the gestures as demonstrations of compassion and concern for the welfare of ordinary citizens.
Amadi was accompanied by leaders and members of his campaign organisation and the APP, including Chief Henry Onwukwe, Director-General; Rt. Hon. Michael Crown Njoku; Chief Denis Okwu; Chief K.K. Ikeh; Cajetan Duke; Prof. Uche Nwosu; Engr. Emeka Onwukwe; Lady Chyna Ugwuadu; Chief Uju Ugochukwu; Hon. Obioma Onwuegbucha; Sir Denis Nneji; and Hon. Emma Soronnadi, among others.
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