Otti Disputes Kalu’s Claim, Says Abia Receives N15 Billion Monthly, Not N38 Billion
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia State has dismissed claims by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu that the state receives between N38 billion and N40 billion monthly from the Federation Account.
Otti said Abia’s total monthly allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, including funds for local governments, stands at N15.625 billion.
Kalu reportedly made the claim during an Independence anniversary event in Umuahia, where he compared the current administration’s revenue with that of previous governments.
In a statement issued by his special adviser on media and publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, Otti described the figures quoted by Kalu as “inaccurate and misleading.”
“Abia’s 2025 year-to-date FAAC allocation (eight months), including local governments, stands at N125 billion. If the figure of N38 billion monthly were correct, it would have amounted to about N304 billion within the same period,” the statement read.
Otti said that despite exchange rate fluctuations — from about N460 to the dollar in 2023 to roughly N1,500 — his administration has managed state finances prudently to fund projects and pay workers.
He noted that while the depreciation of the naira and rising inflation have increased the nominal value of allocations, the real value has declined because of higher project and import costs.
The governor also highlighted that his administration increased the minimum wage for state workers from N30,000 to N70,000 and expanded the state workforce through the recruitment of more than 5,000 teachers and additional health workers.
“Before 2023, the number of civil servants in Abia stood at about 31,000. Today, the verified number exceeds 67,000, excluding newly recruited teachers,” he said.
Otti reiterated his commitment to transparency, fiscal discipline and inclusive governance, urging political leaders to base public discussions on verified data.
He added that his government welcomes constructive criticism but cautioned against spreading misinformation capable of misleading the public.