MANUME DABERE E.
For many people in Imo, the economy isn’t something you encounter in reports or statistics. It’s something you live every day. You work hard, you hustle, you make plans, yet progress feels slow and stubborn. There’s this constant sense of movement without real advancement, like effort that never quite lands where it should.
The markets are active, yet money doesn’t circulate the way it ought to. Small businesses often start with excitement and hope, then quietly downsize or close altogether. Young people are energetic and full of ideas, but much of that energy goes into survival rather than building anything lasting. Over time, a familiar phrase settles in: “There’s no money in Imo.”
But the reality is more layered than that. Imo isn’t lacking in talent or potential. The economy feels stuck because too much effort is spent fighting the system instead of growing within it. Bad roads, unreliable power, insecurity, and unclear policies drain energy. By the time people are done coping with these obstacles, there’s very little left to invest in growth.
Dr. Matthew Chima Amadi sees this clearly. To him, the challenge isn’t ambition, it’s structure. He understands that economies don’t unlock themselves through speeches or short-term fixes. They grow when the environment starts to support people’s efforts instead of wearing them down.
At the center of his thinking is a simple idea: productivity thrives where life is predictable. When traders can move goods without fear. When artisans can access materials without constant delays. When farmers can reach markets without losing half their harvest on the way. These aren’t abstract economic concepts. They are everyday realities that either allow progress or quietly choke it.
Mazi believes the economy will begin to breathe again when three things improve together: security, infrastructure, and trust in governance. Not as isolated efforts, but as a connected system. Security restores confidence. Infrastructure lowers costs and stress. Trust encourages people to commit more of their time, resources, and ideas right here at home.
He also recognizes that government alone cannot drive growth. Real progress comes from empowering small and medium businesses, supporting local manufacturers, and creating space for innovation. Not through handouts, but by removing the barriers that make growth feel exhausting.
When you listen to him, it’s clear he’s thinking about real people. The trader in Relief Market. The tech-savvy youth in Owerri. The farmer in Ngor Okpala. The welder in Okigwe. The transport operator navigating bad roads every day. He understands that when these people begin to do better, the economy naturally follows.
If Imo’s economy feels stuck today, it’s because the systems meant to support it have been inconsistent and unreliable. Dr. Amadi’s message is straightforward: fix the systems, and the people will do the rest.
And maybe that’s the real key. Not a dramatic overnight overhaul, but steady, intentional changes that finally allow effort to turn into progress.
*_Until I come your way this time next week, on this same channel and frequency, I remain your beloved, Dabere Manume, a public affairs commentator and analyst_*