Okwuluora Slams Governor Mbah Over Harsh Taxes, Failed Promises, and Neglect of the Poor

Okwuluora criticizes Governor Mbah over failed promises, harsh taxes, poor services, and housing struggles.

He questions Smart Schools project, water scarcity, and burdens placed on businesses, students, and low-income residents.

Popular media figure and social critic, Emmanuel Okoh Onyeka, better known as Okwuluora, has launched a strong criticism against Enugu State Governor, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, accusing him of failing the people through broken promises, heavy taxation, and neglect of the poor.

In a public outburst, Okwuluora labelled the widely promoted 260 Smart Schools project as a “scam,” alleging that most of the buildings resemble shops rather than schools, with only the one in the governor’s village looking standard.

“There’s a school in every ward in Enugu, why not equip them rather than waste funds on this fairytale project? The rest of these Smart Schools look like shops,” he said.

He condemned the government’s economic policies, accusing it of shifting financial burdens onto the people through “unnecessary taxes” on businesses and residents, while rural communities remain underserved.

Okwuluora raised alarm over what he described as a punitive tax system in the state. He cited new VAT charges on each bottle sold in beer parlors and increased levies on landlords, saying these are crippling small businesses.

“You now charge beer parlours VAT per bottle. Businesses are closing because they can’t keep up,” he lamented.

He also expressed concern over poor public health and infrastructure, especially in ESUT Agbani and IMT, where he claimed typhoid and cholera are rampant due to lack of clean water.

He reminded Governor Mbah of his campaign promise to provide running water to all homes within 180 days, describing the pledge as unmet and unrealistic.

“After two years, all we have are non-operational boreholes in some areas. No sign of running water. People are not stupid,” he said.

Another major issue he raised was a levy on landlords each time tenants pay rent, calling it exploitative and unjustified.

“If everything is based on taxpayers’ money, what then is happening with state resources and federal allocation?” he asked.

On the housing crisis, Okwuluora noted that high rents and fees are making life unbearable for students and low-income earners. According to him, single-room apartments in some poor areas now cost up to ₦500,000.

He called on the government to build affordable homes on unused public land and to introduce a mortgage scheme to help people own houses through bank payments.

“Can’t the state build low-cost houses and let the people pay in bits through the bank? That would be a legacy project,” he advised.

While acknowledging the state’s road and infrastructure efforts, Okwuluora stressed that true leadership should focus on the needs of the poor. He advised the governor to reevaluate his policies, listen to the people, and get better advisers.

“Building roads and hotels won’t help people who cry themselves to sleep every night. Your priority should be the poor. We will stand up to defend them,” he declared.