The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has dismissed reports claiming that N1 billion was inserted into the 2026 budget solely to procure musical instruments for churches in the Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State.
Kalu clarified that the public narrative misrepresented both the exact figures and the true intent of the intervention.
His clarification was contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu, on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the provision was part of a broader Youth Re-orientation and Social Support Programme to be implemented through faith-based organisations across the constituency.
It clarified that the actual allocation was N780 million after Value Added Tax (VAT) and other statutory deductions, insisting that the fund was not meant solely for musical instruments.
“The proposed allocation is actually N780 million after VAT and other tax deductions. It is earmarked as a Youth Re-orientation and Social Support Programme delivered with an evangelistic approach through faith-based organisations in Bende Federal Constituency,” the statement said.
According to the Deputy Speaker, Bende Federal Constituency comprises 13 electoral wards and more than 200 churches, with the first phase of the intervention expected to cover about 130 churches — approximately 10 churches per ward.
Each beneficiary church, he said, would receive between N5 million and N6 million to support youth-focused community outreach programmes.
Kalu argued that government interventions should go beyond physical infrastructure to include programmes that promote moral values, discipline and character development.
“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 through various value delivery platforms,” he stated.
The statement added that while the government supports traditional institutions through community engagement centres to preserve cultural values, faith-based organisations also play a significant role in promoting peace, unity and responsible citizenship.
It noted that similar faith-based youth development initiatives had been implemented in other parts of the country, adding that the Bende programme was aimed at strengthening such efforts within the constituency.
The Deputy Speaker further clarified that the 2026 Appropriation Act had not commenced implementation, as the Federal Government was still operating under the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
He said no funds had been released for the programme and that beneficiary churches would only be contacted after budget approval, release of funds and completion of procurement processes.
The statement also disclosed that a technical error was identified in the budget description and that a correction process had been initiated through the Budget Office and the National Assembly’s appropriation procedure.
It maintained that the intervention was “not about instruments alone” but about using trusted community institutions to promote youth reorientation, unity and positive values.
The Deputy Speaker urged the media and members of the public to disregard what it described as sensational reports, reaffirming his commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of constituency projects and public funds.
