Deputy Speaker Clarifies N1 Billion Church Budget Controversy
- Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu addressed media reports that framed a ₦1 billion budget provision as solely for church musical instruments
- The actual allocation, after deductions, stands at ₦780 million and targets 130 churches across the Bende Federal Constituency
- Kalu's office admitted a technical error in the budget document's description and said a letter of corrigendum has been initiated
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has pushed back against media reports framing a ₦1 billion provision in the 2026 Appropriation Bill as a straightforward purchase of musical instruments for churches in his Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State.
Source: Facebook
A statement released on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, described the widespread characterisation of the allocation as a misrepresentation of both its purpose and scope, Premium Times reports.
What the ₦780 Million Is Actually For
After Value-Added Tax and other standard deductions, the net allocation stands at ₦780 million. Kalu's office says the fund is formally designated as a "Youth Re-orientation and Social Support Programme" to be administered through faith-based organisations using an evangelistic model.
The Bende Federal Constituency covers 13 electoral wards and more than 200 churches. The first phase of the programme targets 130 of those churches, with each receiving support worth roughly ₦5 million to ₦6 million.
The money is intended to help churches build platforms focused on character reform, community outreach, and campaigns against social vices including narcotics, sexual offences, and violent crimes. Procurement of evangelical tools and public address systems forms part of the package.
"Nation-building must go beyond roads and physical infrastructure. Government must also invest in building the character and value system of the people who use the infrastructure using various value-delivery platforms," the statement said.
Budget Not Yet Funded, Error Being Corrected
Kalu's office acknowledged a technical error in the wording of the budget entry, which contributed to the confusion over the allocation's intent. A letter of corrigendum has been initiated to prompt the Budget Office and the Appropriations Committee to correct the description before implementation begins.
Importantly, the office clarified that the 2026 budget has not yet been funded or implemented, as the government is currently operating under the 2024 and 2025 budgets. No church has received funds or equipment under this provision to date, directly contradicting claims by some constituents that they were entitled to items they never received.
"This intervention is not about instruments alone. It is about leveraging trusted community structures to reorient our youths, promote unity, and sustain moral instruction," the statement added.
Kalu's office said it welcomes scrutiny over how constituency project funds are appropriated and spent, and urged the public to disregard what it called sensational coverage of the provision.
Deputy Speaker explains how 'fake agency' DG tricked him
In a similar story, Benjamin Kalu admitted that he granted a meeting to representatives of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) after their correspondence convincingly mimicked official Presidency communications.
Kalu made the disclosure on Wednesday, July 8, during plenary, while contributing to a motion calling for a full investigation into the activities of the purported council, which the Presidency has since disowned.
Source: Legit.ng
