The office of Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu has refuted claims that a N1 billion allocation in the 2026 budget was intended exclusively for purchasing musical instruments for churches in the Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State. Levinus Nwabughiogu, the Chief Press Secretary, stated that these reports inaccurately describe the budget’s purpose. The actual net funding is N780 million, designated for a youth re-orientation and social support scheme executed via religious institutions.
This initiative targets 130 churches across 13 electoral wards, with each church expected to receive between N5 million and N6 million. These funds are intended to help churches acquire public address systems and evangelical tools to assist in community programs against drug abuse, sexual violence, and crime, while simultaneously fostering moral growth. The Deputy Speaker’s office emphasized that this is a non-kinetic strategy for nation-building, aiming to leverage religious platforms for positive social change.
The statement further noted that a technical error in the procurement description had been identified, and a request for correction has been submitted to the Budget Office. Kalu’s office clarified that the budget is not yet active and urged the public to reject sensationalist claims, reiterating that the funds focus on character development and youth engagement rather than the simple acquisition of musical equipment.
