IPOB in a statement issued on Monday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, described the taxing of generator users by Governor Mbah and Governor Uzodinma as anti-people and anti-economic action.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has asked Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State to immediately reverse the tax imposed on generators and solar energy.
IPOB in a statement issued on Monday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, described the taxing of generator users by Governor Mbah and Governor Uzodinma as anti-people and anti-economic action.
Powerful said “The retrogressive and punitive tax on the citizens who are generating power via solar energy and other power generating sources by the Imo State and Enugu State Governors is highly condemnable.
“Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State indeed has proven that they were brought into office to impoverish Ndigbo.
“The residents of Enugu and Imo State have been imposed with obnoxious energy tax for generating their own lights.
“In a sane country with responsible leaders, the provision of reliable electricity is the duty of the government. But in Nigeria, the citizens are penalised for generating their own lights, which the Nigerian government ought to be responsible for in Enugu and Imo State, respectively.”
The IPOB spokesperson said “To demonstrate government ineptness, the two governors in Imo and Enugu State introduced the retrogressive energy tax on citizens using solar energy and other generators in order to perpetuate darkness in Alaigbo and grind the economic activities in Alaigbo to a halt.”
Powerful alleged, “Governor Peter Mbah and Hope Uzodinma are colluding with Emeka Offor’s EEDC company to shortchange Igbo by indirectly imposing a ban on people not to have alternative power sources outside Emeka Offor’s criminal enterprise called EEDC.
“If these governors want the citizens not to use solar energy and generators, they should first demand that EEDC provides constant electricity to the people.
“Colluding with the criminal enterprise called EEDC management to restrict citizens from enjoying electricity so that they will rely solely on the erratic power from EEDC is not only criminal but a clear economic sabotage of the economic growth of Alaigbo and that part of the Southeast.
“IPOB is calling on Governor Peter Mbah and Hope Uzodinma to stand down on their retrogressive energy tax imposed in their States.
“Instead of imposing tax on those generating their own power, the government should compensate and encourage them for helping to reduce the pressure on the dilapidated power facilities in Nigeria.
“The tax on people who are providing electricity from alternative sources outside EEDC is not only evil but satanic.
“Governor Peter Mba and Governor Hope Uzodinma, please allow Ndigbo to breathe and remove the retrogressive energy tax on Ndigbo.”
