By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has expressed concern over what it described as the anti-people and anti-economic action of certain governors in the Southeast.

It decried what it cited as retrogressive and punitive tax on the citizens who are generating power through solar energy and other power generating sources by the Imo and Enugu State governors, describing it as condemnable.

IPOB in a statement on Monday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said that Governor Peter Mba of Enugu State and Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State “have indeed proven that they were brought into office to impoverish Ndigbo.”

According to the separatist group, “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 a Banana Republic, the citizens are penalized for generating their own lights, which the Nigerian government ought to be responsible for in Enugu and Imo State, respectively.

“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, but they will fail and regret doing such an evil act against the people of Enugu and Imo State. .

“Governor Peter Mba and Hope Uzodinjo are colluding with Emeka Offor’s EEDC company to shortchange Biafrans by indirectly imposing a ban on people not to have alternative power sources outside Emeka Offor’s 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 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.

“It’s obvious that these two acclaimed rulers were imposed on Ndigbo to impoverish and to weaponize the poverty agenda of their political masters at the center.”

IPOB called on Governors Peter Mba and Hope Uzodinma to stand down on their retrogressive energy tax imposed in their States.

It advised that 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.

It added: "IPOB will always be against any anti-people policies by the government. If you people doubt this, send out criminals who will collect such obnoxious tax for you again and see the outcome. 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.”