While the arrhythmic sounds of diesel powered Generators have continued to hum irritably, yet ceaselessly at the Enugu State government house, staining some sections of the green-white-green fences with black soot, reports have emerged about the steps taken by the State government to regulate the use of alternative energy and fine defaulters heavily to the tune of amounts bigger than the minimum wage.
As a committed supporter of the State Government and a firm believer in the Disruptive Innovation Agenda of Enugu State Government, I beg to firmly disagree with the Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Peter Mbah and the State Commissioner for Environmental and Climate, Mr. Sam Ugwu on the grounds that taxing and penalizing individuals and organizations for using alternative sources energy might indeed be very disruptive but there's ABSOLUTELY NOTHING innovative about and to some extent, might amount to economic self sabotage by the state government.
Electricity is the live wire of modern economies everywhere across the world, and while some sections of Enugu State are yet to be collected to the power grid till this day, September 4th, 2024, those connected are still finding it really difficult to experience upto 8 hours constant power supply daily, which explains why even the Government House is still being powered by Diesel and Solar power till this day.
It could also be recalled that in March 2023, Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari signed a bill into law, allowing State Governments to Licence, Generate, Transmit, Distribute and Regulate Electricity within their states. A law that by virtue of Enugu's Coal fortunes, was enough to make Enugu State the Southern Regional Headquarters of Electricity Generation, which could as a matter of fact, take Enugu's GDP from 4billion US Dollars to 300 billion US dollars, not just 30 billion, and also create thousands of high quality jobs for both Ikechukwu and Emeka to discourage them from running away from Nigeria.
It therefore amounts to economic self sabotage for a state government seeking to make Enugu state the number one investment destination to discourage investment in the state by taxing and fining individuals and businesses for resorting to alternative energy sources in the face extremely poor power supply.
This added to the fact that the sate has the permission, license, raw materials, human resources and infrastructure to generate 24/7 power supply for not just the entire state but the entire region, and yet haven't done anything in that regard 1 year and 3 months after taking office.
Your Excellency and Honourable Commissioner Sir, there is no Nigerian in his right frame of mind that would prefer to buy diesel at 1,200 naira per litre, or fuel at 1,000 per litre or spend over 10 million naira to install just 2kva capacity solar power if the person had 24/7 access to EEDC's #209.6 per kWh electricity. Not even the State Government House Sir.
In addition, sanctioning individuals and organizations for emissions is like Enugu State government shooting herself in the foot. For how would we market our COAL Generated electricity to the rest of the world if we penalise those who use generators?
Again, how do we discourage Ikechukwu and Emeka from traveling abroad only for them to remain in Nigeria and suffer incessant power outage, collapse of power grid, etc and leave them with zero alternatives?
Sir, while it is understandable that you intend to stay clear off the welfarism and pacifism of the previous administration, it is important to remind you that even in the most crude form of capitalism, tax waivers are given to individuals who own and run businesses that employ people and provide solutions.
Sir, nowhere is it accepted in the world for people to be penalized for filling the shortfall of the government.
By the virtue of the Electricity Bill signed into law by the previous administration, Sir, it is your duty to provide 24/7 electricity for ndi Enugu, and it doesn't make sense by any standard for you to tax, penalize or punish Individuals and organizations for doing for themselves, what you couldn't do for them, even when it is your responsibility to do it for them.
I hope you take this in good fate and rescind from that path destruction and continue on the path part of progress which you've been on for a while.
Enugu diri mma, ọ dịaara anyị niile.
©️ Ugwuagbo Emmanuel Chizoba
