Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 18
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
Weather was marginal so ABI was doing Localizer approaches to 17R; 17L is closed for construction.  I was CIC; traffic was very light.  The local controller; had Aircraft X on a 3-4 mile final 17R cleared to land and Aircraft Y calling off 82TS; a private field 2NM NE of ABI; requesting touch and goes.  The controller's response to Aircraft Y was this; 'Make ah...enter a left field...mid ah...left mid downwind for the left ah...downwind'.  Controller is not looking out the window and not watching the traffic; Aircraft Y turns west for a base to 17R and I had to tell the controller that Aircraft Y is cutting off Aircraft X.  She turns around and now sees the situation and turns Aircraft Y right to heading 360; right toward the traffic.  Aircraft Y immediately reports the traffic on final in sight and request a clearance for a Localizer approach instead of VFR pattern work.  Even though separation was not lost and only because I brought it to her attention (1 mile at best); this was an unsafe situation brought on by the local controller's lack of attention; awareness and knowledge.  These kind of situations are occurring on a daily basis.  Management is being made aware; but the unsafe events continue.                     Remedial training on maintaining awareness while on position; on how to sequence aircraft and how not to; and/or proper phraseology to avoid confusing instructions.
ABI Local Controller almost had a separation loss due to not paying attention.