Abdul Wahab Amara

It was a golden opportunity for me to meet Dr. Emerson Abraham Jackson, a seasoned economist with a wealth of experience in research, spanning over two decades.

I first learned about Dr. Jackson three years ago. At the time, I was struggling to write my final-year undergraduate dissertation on the "Twin Deficits and Economic Growth Nexus." This topic, to me, then, felt like an insurmountable mountain.

When I was first asked to submit a proposal on my topic, I felt overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin. As complex my topic was, probably because it was new to me, I engaged into surfing the internet for a more detailed understanding of my topic. Among the numerous search results, I stumbled upon a co-authored article by Dr. Jackson titled: "Twin Deficits Hypothesis as an Indication of Government Failure in Sierra Leone." See link: Source: RePEc: Research Papers in Economics https://share.google/M8Wl1ciTZwkgbm4Yc

That single article became one of the blueprints for navigating throughout the process of writing my dissertation. It reshaped my methodological thinking and provided me with a detailed insight necessary to craft an outstanding dissertation. The rigour of the research article gave me the framework to structure a perfect model for my dissertation. More importantly, their work served as one of the standard guides that helped me refine my writing on my research topic, which later was worthy of being published.

As curious as I was, I eventually reached out to Dr Jackson via Facebook, where I expressed my admiration for his work and asked if he would consider mentoring me to help shape how I think about research: from the basic to advance, for which he considered. He shared with me his ORCID, for which I appreciated greatly.

Yesterday, I joined a distinguished group of researchers and enthusiasts for the launch of his new book, "Handbook of Research Skills and Application." It is a comprehensive and meticulously detailed guide, designed to support foundational learners, researchers, and policymakers alike. It is a text I highly recommend to anyone seeking to advance their research capabilities.

I was equally so happy to learn firsthand about his journey from prominent individuals, including the Bank Governor of the Central Bank of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ibrahim Stevens; Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), Prof. Ezekiel Kalvin Duramany-Lakkoh; Pro Vice Chancellor and Research Coordinator, Postgraduate Studies, at the Ernest Bai Koroma University (EBKURST), Professor Prince Sorie Conteh; and the Chief Economist at the Central Bank of Sierra Leone, Dr. Morlai Bangura.

Seeing Dr. Jackson celebrate this milestone reminded me of one important thing; that the goal of research should not merely be an opportunity to fill journals, archives or library shelves, but to empower and impart knowledge to the next generation.

Poverty has always been looked as a situation where one has a very low income. Forgetting that, it goes beyond that. Poverty also includes a lack of opportunities and a poor quality of life.

According to the World Bank report published in June 2025, the international poverty line stood at $3.00 per person per day, implying that people who live below the $3.00 per day threshold, are living in poverty.

In Sierra Leone, for example, if you can not afford $3.00 ( about NLe72) per day, in addition to no opportunities and a poor quality of life, you are poor.