“Government will offer more than 20,000 housing solutions to the population”, says Marcellus Campêlo

Manaus (AM) – Graduated in civil engineering, specializing in basic sanitation, the current Secretary of State for Urban and Metropolitan Development (Sedurb), Marcellus Campêlo, manages programs aimed at the population, such as housing, sanitation and urban development. To the In timeCampêllo, said that the goal now, with Sedurb, is to respond to the demands of the population, work for the state and make the necessary deliveries.

The secretary held the position of executive coordinator of the Special Projects Management Unit (UGPE) since 2019, when he was appointed in May 2023 to the new secretariat. Sedurb was a combination of the Housing Superintendence (Suhab), the Sanitation Company (Cosama) and the UGPE, by the Government of Amazonas.

In time – Secretary, what are the immediate goals of the Secretary of State for Urban and Metropolitan Development (Sedurb) for the first months of management?

Marcellus Campêlo – The Secretariat will work with very important themes for the population, such as housing, sanitation, development of the Metropolitan Region and the special projects that we have already been executing at the UGPE (Special Project Management Unit). Sedurb is going to bring together bodies of major actions, such as the UGPE, the Housing Superintendence of Amazonas (Suhab) and the Sanitation Company of Amazonas (Cosama). We have actions in progress, such as Prosamin+ (Social and Environmental Program of Manaus and the Interior), which will urbanize 340,000 m² in the Igarapé do Quarenta area, in the stretch between Manaus 2000 avenue, in the south zone, and the Sharp Community , in the Armando Mendes neighborhood, east side. We are also with Ilumina+ Amazonas, another successful program much desired by city halls in the interior, for replacing traditional lighting with LED, which is more efficient, economical and ecologically correct. In the housing area, we have Amazonas Meu Lar, offering 22,172 housing solutions to the population. There are a number of other projects being prepared that will soon be presented, so that all the work is directly related to promoting the well-being of our population.

ET – At the Special Projects Management Unit (UGPE), you stood out leading sanitation programs, mainly Prosamin+. And this created an expectation that the new Secretariat will expand this type of work. Are there any plans to take these projects to the countryside?

Marcellus Campêlo – More than plans, we have work in this regard. In Maués, we completed the Integrated Sanitation Program (Prosai). It was the largest urban, socio-environmental and basic sanitation intervention ever carried out in the interior. Now, we are starting Prosai Parintins. Residents of the municipality have already defined the composition of the Local Support Group, made up of leaders who will closely monitor the entire process of implementation and execution of the program. Now, we are in the public consultation phase, mobilizing the population to participate, clarify their doubts, make their suggestions to be analyzed. We want to listen to people and the expectation in the city is very high. At Prosai Parintins, investments will amount to US$87.5 million. Part of these resources will come from financing by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Our estimate is that the works will begin in the first half of 2024. The experience in Maués was very successful.

ET – Another highlight of his management was Ilumina+ Amazonas, something that the cities in the interior that have not yet been contemplated are waiting for. How does this program differ from other public lighting projects?

Marcellus Campêlo – Amazonas should become the first, or one of the first Brazilian states, to have public lighting all in LED, in the urban areas of the municipalities. We started the program last year, we continue to advance and we will reach all cities in the interior. Despite the focus on the urban area, with implementation completed in 43 municipalities, we have already reached 43 rural and indigenous communities. In addition to the already known advantages of LED, such as the reduction of up to 60% in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, I would like to highlight an equally important aspect: the luminaires being used meet the criteria for preserving biodiversity. And they represent cost savings for public coffers. In the cities already contemplated, nightlife has completely transformed. People feel safer walking around at night, squares are busy again, businesses leave their doors open longer, and the economy benefits. The program is important in all aspects and Governor Wilson Lima’s intention is to expand it, in this second semester, to other municipalities.

ET – This week the resources transferred by the Government of Amazonas to works and programs in partnership with the Manaus City Hall were highlighted. Does this partnership indicate an alignment between the Government of Amazonas and the City of Manaus?

Marcellus Campêlo – Governor Wilson Lima has always supported everything that is important for the development of Manaus and, in this sense, signed a protocol of intentions with Mayor David Almeida in 2021. The total of agreements with the City Hall, just for mobility, reaches R$ 580 million, including infrastructure works, such as the viaducts on Avenida das Torres and Bola do Produtor, Free Student Pass for 170,000 state and municipal public students, as well as resources for Asfalta Manaus. It reaches R$ 700 million, when we include, for example, the works to implement a sewage network, renovations of fairs and markets, construction of Parque Gigante da Floresta and other actions. The Government of Amazonas, therefore, has always paid special attention to the population of the capital, while also seeking to invest heavily in the development of the interior.

ET – What are Sedurb’s plans for Amazonas Meu Lar? Is it confirmed that the Government of Amazonas will partner with the Federal Government and pay up to the down payment of the housing that will be financed?

Marcellus Campêlo – Yes, this is a differentiator of the program, which will pay special attention to families that cannot afford the down payment of the financing. Today, this is the biggest obstacle for them to get out of rent. We are waiting for the Federal Government to launch the new Minha Casa Minha Vida, so that we can align it with Amazonas Meu Lar. The state government program will offer 22,172 housing solutions to the population, 20,000 of which are new housing units. Investments reach R$ 3.9 billion, adding state and federal resources, via Caixa Econômica. It will be the largest housing program in the history of Amazonas and will have different types of financing. It will cover the five income ranges foreseen in federal programs focused on housing and with which the state will establish partnerships.

ET – So, does this mean that the Lula Government and the Wilson Lima Government will work together?

Marcellus Campêlo – Federal Government and State Governments have a duty to work together, as both are institutions at the service of the population. In addition to Amazonas Meu Lar, the federal government has shown itself to be sensitive to the other demands presented. Sedurb is working on these partnerships. We have the doors open at Caixa Econômica, Banco do Brasil and other federal agencies to take our projects and get support for the population of Amazonas.

ET- Of all the projects to be carried out by Sedurb, which one do you believe will most change the lives of people who most need it?

Marcellus Campêlo – Each one has its importance and our understanding is that they are a priority within the segments they reach. Governor Wilson Lima’s orientation is that we have a sensitive look at improving people’s lives. Therefore, all actions are aimed in this direction. We seek solutions ranging from basic sanitation, as is the case with Prosamin+, to public safety, such as Ilumina+ Amazonas, which contributes in this regard. We also contribute to education, with the Free Pass, we think about housing, with Amazonas Meu Lar, and even to reduce the time people spend in traffic, with agreements for urban mobility works.

ET – Speaking of mobility, how can Sedurb contribute to traffic in Manaus? There is a consensus that the city has grown a lot and the roads no longer hold so many cars. Are there any projects in that direction?

Marcellus Campêlo – We already carry out this type of intervention through the Special Projects Management Unit. An example of this is the transfer of more than R$ 80.2 million for the construction of an overpass in Bola do Produtor. We are also investing in the construction of the viaduct on Avenida das Torres, which will solve a chronic traffic problem in the city. There, the Government of Amazonas has an agreement worth R$ 50.1 million with the City of Manaus. We also have a partnership for Asfalta Manaus. The transfers of R$ 181.8 million are used to resurface streets in all neighborhoods, and we still have R$ 13.1 million to help adapt the new bus terminal. All this is a strong contribution to this issue, which is added to the R$ 8.7 million for the construction of the footbridge on Avenida Ephigênio Sales and the R$ 158.2 million for the Student Free Pass, all projects directly linked to improvement and safety in the flow of vehicles and people in the capital.

ET – Is there any political project for you to be a candidate in 2024? His name is one of the most remembered as a technical profile and aggregator in Amazonas politics. Would you like to be a candidate one day?

Marcellus Campêlo – My focus, today, is entirely on the functioning of the new secretariat, on the work that we are carrying out together with the UGPE, Suhab and Cosama. My career in public service has always been punctuated by technical work, the execution of works, projects, for which I try to give due speed. The goal now, with Sedurb, is to respond to the demands of the population in the areas it covers, to work for the state and make the necessary deliveries, following the guidelines established by Governor Wilson Lima.

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