Mayor of Itacoatiara is accused of overpricing for basic food baskets and wood

Mário Abrahim is being accused of signing overpriced contracts, in addition to acting with a lack of transparency in management in Itacoatiara

Manaus (AM) — The mayor of Itacoatiara, Mário Abrahim (Podemos), is being accused of signing overpriced contracts, in addition to acting with a lack of transparency. During the administration, two contracts were formalized with high values, for the purchase of basic food baskets and wood. In March, councilor Arnoud Lucas (PV) reported on social media that the municipal authority purchased 10,000 basic food baskets worth R$900,000.

The Official Gazette pointed out that the company responsible for the bidding is Distribuidora Menezes LTDA, with CNPJ 84.112.846/0004-56. According to Arnoud, each basic food basket purchased by the city council cost R$288.05 to the public coffers. However, when doing his own price research, the councilor put together a basic retail basket for R$197.55, generating a difference of more than R$900,000 accumulated in the 10,000 ranch bags.

“I was in the same establishment buying all the same items at retail value, it wasn’t even a wholesale price which was much cheaper. Here’s a note, my friends, I only paid R$197.55 for the same items. It makes a difference of more than R$900 thousand. With this amount we could buy another 4,581,000 basic food baskets. This is absurd, it is playing with public money, I will denounce this bid”,

highlighted the councilor.

To the In timecouncilor Arnoud Lucas, explained that there is no concrete information about the origin of the amount invested in basic food baskets.

“Regarding the baskets, I presented a request for information to the Chamber, however, even though it was approved, to date, the city hall has not responded to the requested information. Apparently, it was money sent by the Federal Government during the drought period, in which they only delivered the baskets that year and above all, they were overpriced. I will enter with representations in the competent bodies”,

explained Lucas.

Lack of transparency

The overpricing of basic food baskets is not the only accusation that Mário Abrahim faces. In March, the Amazonas Court of Auditors (TCE-AM) fined the mayor of Itacoatiara R$ 13,654.39, for lack of transparency in the loan of R$ 30 million made with Banco do Brasil, which took place on the day October 10, 2022.

The advisor-rapporteur, Josué Claudio de Souza Neto, highlighted the need for transparency in relation to Abrahim’s public spending.

“In view of the above, I express my desire to follow the same understanding of the Technical Body and the Public Accounting Ministry, for the KNOWLEDGE and for the PARTIAL PROCEDENCE of this Representation filed by Mr. Arnoud Lucas Andrade da Silva against the Municipality of Itacoatiara and Mr. Mário Boez Abrahim (Municipal Mayor), in the face of a lack of transparency and alleged irregularities regarding the loan process provided for in the Law of the Municipality of Itacoatiara n. 511, of October 10, 2022, with applications and fines and determinations”stated the rapporteur.

Complaint

In an interview with In time, councilor Arnoud Lucas explained that he requested that the municipality’s transparency portal be fed regularly, but that so far, there has been no movement.

“The lack of transparency is completely detrimental to the supervisory work of all councilors, as we need to juggle to obtain the minimum amount of information.
They do not even respond to requests for information approved by the Chamber. The Public Prosecutor’s Office is inactive so far. I even filed a representation with the TCE-AM to force the municipality to feed the Transparency Portal, however, even with the Court of Auditors’ ruling obliging this to be done, the City Hall and the Mayor do not comply”,

highlighted the councilor.

Overpricing of wood

The Amazonas Court of Auditors is also investigating Abrahim after a complaint accused the mayor of overpricing the purchase of wood in 2022.

Complaint No. 10205/2022, which is available at the State Audit Court (TCE-AM), accuses Mário Abrahim of using his power as mayor to commit illegalities, such as the allegedly overpriced purchase and transportation of wood.

“Such conduct, at first glance, leads us to believe that this is a measure that would benefit the population of Itacoatiar during a period of major flooding. However, in reality, what we can observe is something very suspicious, with regard to the transparency of the service provided”,

says the complainant.

The material also accuses the mayor of using his brother’s company, Chibly Abrahim, to transport the wood, which was done without proof of the wood’s invoice.

Amidst so many controversies, the population of Itacoatiara watches their ruler collect complaints in an election year. For councilor Arnoud Lucas, the situation is even more worrying.

“We can only expect the worst, as all the resources diverted over the last few years will be used to buy votes”,

finished.

O In time contacted Mário Abrahim’s advisors, but so far, there has been no response. The space is open for manifestation.

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Mayor of Itacoatiara is accused of overpricing R$900,000 in basic food baskets