Escalating Tensions: Abia State Government vs Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu

The diplomatic rift between Abia State Governor Alex Otti and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu has reached a boiling point, with the state's Chief Liaison Officer, Chief Iheanyi Chinasa, taking direct aim at Kalu's recent criticisms of a $263.8 million loan facility secured by the state government. Chinasa, a constituent of Kalu, accuses him of spreading false narratives to discredit the Governor's administration. The loan facility, meant to finance the Abia State Integrated Infrastructural Development Project (ABSIID), has not yet been disbursed, with funds still in the custody of a consortium of three banks. Chinasa calls out Kalu for his unprovoked attacks on Governor Otti, advising him to focus on representing Bende Federal Constituency effectively and leave the Governor's performance to the public to judge.

Key Takeaways:

The Abia State Integrated Infrastructural Development Project (ABSIID) loan facility, worth $263.8 million, was secured from a consortium of three banks: Islamic Development Bank ($125 million), African Development Bank ($100 million), and CanadaAfrica Development Bank ($15 million), with an additional $23.8 million contributed by the Abia State Government as counterpart funding.
Despite allegations of mismanagement, the state has not yet drawn a single kobo from the loan facility, with funds remaining with the banks.
Chief Iheanyi Chinasa, Abia State's Chief Liaison Officer to the National Assembly, has challenged Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu to focus on his duties as a representative rather than engaging in unprovoked attacks on Governor Otti.
Chinasa has faulted Kalu's claims of the state government mismanaging the loan facility, stating that the Governor had performed credibly with available resources and deserves commendation, not criticism.
The tensions between the state government and the Deputy Speaker have escalated, with both sides trading barbs and accusations.

Statistics:

The loan facility for the Abia State Integrated Infrastructural Development Project (ABSIID) is valued at $263.8 million.
The facility's funding breakdown is as follows: Islamic Development Bank ($125 million), African Development Bank ($100 million), and CanadaAfrica Development Bank ($15 million), with Abia State Government contributing $23.8 million as counterpart funding.
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, has alleged that developments in Abia State are not commensurate with the funds accruing to the state.

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