Okechukwu, who hails from the state, reminded the governor in a statement on Sunday of the economic hardship and suffering of the people.
The immediate past Director General of the Voice of Nigeria and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Osita Okechukwu, has cautioned Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State against squeezing water out of stone.
Okechukwu, who hails from the state, reminded the governor in a statement on Sunday of the economic hardship and suffering of the people.
He stressed that it would be inhuman to subject them to further hardship through extreme taxation.
He told the governor that the good people of Enugu State, like most poor Nigerians, have for long been in dire financial straits, where the cost of food items, transportation, medication, and sundry items have hit the rooftops.
He maintained that the people do not need further disruption.
He said, “One personally admires the zeal, passion, and ambition of His Excellency, Peter Mba, to budget N1/2 trillion for the 2024 fiscal year. However, one has to caution him to beware of the dangers of squeezing 1/4 trillion Naira out of stone.
“I shivered when I heard the governor mention the word maximisation of internally generated revenue, and I imagined if it is not from the same impoverished folks of which over 40% fall under multidimensional poverty cadre. And my question is this N1/4 trillion Governor Mba’s disruption on the move?”
Okechukwu had earlier spoken to journalists at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, while fielding questions on the 2024 Enugu State budget appropriation which the governor had tagged "Budget of disruptive economic growth".
When reminded that the internal revenue generation drive is being done in virtually all the states of the federation and not restricted to only Enugu, the APC chieftain agreed but singled out the multi-dimensional poverty status of the majority of the indigenes of Enugu State and the contradiction of over taxation.
“I don’t know the current National Bureau of Statistics poverty ranking of my state, but the little one knows is that there is abject poverty, gross unemployment, and palpable insecurity which has driven a lot of farmers out of their farms."
Okechukwu advised the governor to rely on the Federation Account Allocation Committee’s (FAAC) monthly revenue accruals as his seed money and make sure it is transparently utilised.
“The problem is that most governors utilise FAAC monthly allocation as pocket money and squander it for personal expenses instead of tangible investment,” he said.
“Secondly, he should establish cordial relationships with the Federal Government so as to benefit from projects like the Enugu Urban Water scheme initiated by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, and Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) programs among others.
“And, thirdly he should intensify collaboration with his colleagues in the private sector so as to fund 1,000 megawatts, sulphur dioxide emission controlled Coal-fired Power Plant. This will attract investors as experts believe that power supply is fundamental to stimulating investment and economic growth.”
Reminded that climate change advocates will frown on Coal-fired-Power Plant, Okechukwu pointed out the existence of Flue Gas Desulfurisation (FGD), which is an air pollution control device for sulphur dioxide emissions that takes care of climate change.
He regretted the crass hypocrisy of the developed countries, noting that as of July 2023 China had 1,142; India, 282; USA, 210; Japan, 93; Germany, 58 of Coal Fired Power Plants respectively.