Our mothers have suffered enough carrying burden of govt failure -Amadi

By Athan Agbakwuru Owerri

Following his continued engagements with Imo women at the ongoing 2026 August Meeting, the Action Peoples Party (APP) senatorial candidate for Owerri Zone, Mazi Chima Matthew Amadi, has decried the growing hardship confronting women across the state, declaring that Imo women have suffered enough.

In a release, Cajetan Duke, Chief Press Secretary to Mazi Chima Matthew, hinted that Amadi, has visited Orodo in Mbaitoli, Amakohia Uratta in Owerri North and Umuevu Okirika Nweke in Ahiazu Mbaise LGAs, where he interfaced with women of the various communities.

Dr Amadi said it was unacceptable that women already carrying enormous family responsibilities are increasingly forced to shoulder responsibilities that ordinarily belong to government.

At the August Meeting of women under the Federation of Orodo Autonomous Communities, Amadi described the level of poverty, social inequality and economic hardship across communities as disturbing.

He said there was no justification for mothers to wake up every morning worried about feeding their families, paying school fees and meeting basic household needs when enormous public resources are entrusted to government to improve the living conditions of the people.

“My mothers, you have suffered enough. You have carried your families on your shoulders, trained your children, supported your husbands and sustained our communities. Yet, after doing all these, you are still expected to contribute money to provide water, maintain health centres, build town halls and provide other basic amenities.

“This burden is too much. Government should be making life easier for you, not transferring its responsibilities to you,” Amadi told the women.

While commending the women of Orodo for their resilience and remarkable contributions to community development, Amadi regretted that years of government failure have gradually turned community self-help into a substitute for governance.

According to him, the traditional willingness of Imo people to develop their communities should complement government intervention, not become an excuse for those entrusted with public resources to abandon their responsibilities.

“Many of you are struggling every day to feed your families, pay school fees and meet other basic needs. After all these, you are still asked to contribute money for water, health facilities and other amenities.

“My mothers, you have done your part. You have done more than enough. Government must begin to do its own part,” he declared.

In support of the women’s development initiatives, particularly the expansion of their ICT centre, Amadi announced a donation of ₦5 million.

He said investment in digital skills for women and young people would create opportunities for economic advancement, stressing that sustainable community development must go beyond handouts to creating opportunities that enable people to earn decent livelihoods and support their families.

Responding on behalf of the women, the President-General of the Federation of Orodo Autonomous Communities, Nneoma Stella Egbuchulem, expressed appreciation to Amadi for identifying with them and supporting their development efforts.

She thanked him for the gesture and assured him of the goodwill of the women.

At Amakohia Uratta in Owerri North LGA, Amadi joined the Nzuko Ndom Amakohia Uratta Association at their August Meeting themed, “Women Empowerment: A Stepping Stone to a Greater Tomorrow.”

Earlier in her address, the President-General of the women, Lady Sylvia Ugochi Ajuruchi, highlighted some of the association’s achievements within the year under review, including the reactivation and refurbishment of the community borehole water system and the establishment of an interest-free revolving loan scheme for women.

Amadi praised the women for refusing to allow the absence of essential amenities to cripple their community, but said their achievements also raised a fundamental question about the place of government in the lives of ordinary people.

“My mothers, when I listen to the things you have achieved—the borehole you restored, the revolving loan scheme you established and the other projects you are undertaking—I ask myself: what would have happened to our communities without our women? You have kept our families together and sustained our communities. But you cannot continue to carry these responsibilities alone. Government must be present in the lives of the people,” he said.

Amadi urged the women to see the August Meeting not only as an avenue for raising funds for community projects, but also as a platform for discussing the future of their children and communities.

He challenged them to take their civic responsibility seriously and use the 2027 election to demand a better deal for themselves and their families.

“You are the ones who go to the market every day. You know how much a cup of garri costs. You know the price of rice. You pay school fees, hospital bills and transportation costs.
Nobody needs to tell you whether life is getting better or worse.

“So, when the time comes in 2027, look at your children, look at your families, look at your communities and vote for the future you want. Your PVC is your voice; use it wisely,” Amadi charged.

To support the development initiatives of the Amakohia Uratta women, Amadi announced a donation of ₦2 million, assuring them that his commitment to women’s empowerment goes beyond political rhetoric.

According to him, empowering a woman strengthens the family, expands household opportunities and ultimately strengthens the entire community.

From Owerri North, Amadi proceeded to Umuevu Okirika Nweke in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA, where he received a rousing welcome from mothers and members of the Women Wing of the Umuevu Okirika Nweke Development Union at their August Meeting.

He commended the women for their ongoing town hall project and described their determination to contribute to the development of their community as another powerful testimony to the resilience, resourcefulness and sacrifice of the Imo woman.

In support of the town hall project, Amadi announced a donation of ₦1 million and assured the women of his continued solidarity.

He, however, maintained that community development must be a partnership between the people and government, rather than a system where communities are abandoned to provide virtually everything for themselves.

According to him, the willingness of Imo women to make sacrifices for their communities must never become an excuse for government irresponsibility.

Drawing the message of his engagements across the three communities together, Amadi declared that Imo women deserve a future in which government works for them rather than adding to their burdens.

“My mothers, I have not come here just to ask for your support. I have come to tell you that things can be better.

“You have suffered enough and carried this burden for too long. I want a future where our mothers can trade and prosper, where our children can receive quality education, where our health centres work, where our communities have basic amenities and where government is truly present in the lives of the people.

“You deserve better. Your children deserve better. And together, we can make that better future possible.”

Amadi was accompanied on the engagements by members of his party and campaign organisation, among whom were Chief Henry Onwukwe, Director-General; Rt. Hon. Michael Crown Njoku; Cajetan Duke; Prof. Uche Nwosu; Amb. Steve Nnadi; Comrade Isdore Chukwuemeka; Lady Nneka Chukwu; Hon. Mrs. Chinasa Ogu; Chief Brint Akomas; Comrade Obioma Onwuegbucha; Chief Uju Ugochukwu; and Hon. Mrs. Ndidi Onyemechi, among others.