“Pix” amendments by senators (-AP) and (PT-AP) that together benefited an NGO from Amapá that came into the focus of the (Comptroller General of the Union) due to suspicion of overpricing and lack of transparency and criteria for its choice.
The entity has promoted festivals in cities across the state announced by the two parliamentarians since last year. It was also verified by the Controllership that the institution did not have the technical capacity to perform the services.
The resources were transferred to Santana City Hall and the state government and, through them, to Inorte (Institute of Management in Social and Urban Development). The senators deny knowing the NGO and claim that they transferred the funds to public administrations, without direction.
Inorte, when it was opened in 2005 and before holding these festivals, operated as an association of evangelical entrepreneurs and provided assistance services to children and adolescents.
In 2021, the CNPJ underwent a reformulation, gaining new names, owners, address and functions. Today, the institution lists 20 economic activities in its registration with , such as book retailing, film production for advertising, film production and rental of recreational and sports equipment, stages and roofs.
The CGU identified irregularities in the execution of the Randolfe fence by Inorte. The funds were transferred to hold, this year, the 79th anniversary of the city of Oiapoque and the Festival of São Tiago, in the municipality of Mazagão. The governor (Solidarity) is an ally of Randolfe and has defended the use of parliamentary amendments.
According to the Controllership, the selection of the NGO, made without a public call or competition, was irregular, as other institutions could perform the same service.
The Controller’s Office also stated that the NGO outsourced all of its deliveries at the event and that one of the subcontracted companies belongs to the institution’s financial director. Furthermore, the office that provided legal services to the NGO was opened with the entity’s telephone number and is owned by a lawyer who already provided services to it.
Furthermore, the CGU identified 193.89% overpricing when contracting intellectual content services, with “significant variations” in legal services and project management and work plan.
According to the Controllership, the findings represent a great risk of damage to the public treasury, since the contracted companies have links with people who have professional ties with Inorte.
On Inorte’s social media profiles, there is a video interview, photos and Randolfe’s name published in publications about these events. He also posed in a photo with NGO employees visiting , in Brasília, in September last year.
Through his advisor, the senator reaffirmed that he has no relationship with the Inorte Institute, that the parties mentioned are public and that it is common knowledge that he participates in a series of public events and takes various photos with people.
Randolfe also said that the CGU did not indicate illegal acts in the execution of amendments specifically pointed out to his office, but rather facts related to the management of state and municipal resources and the non-governmental organization.
At the end of last year, Inorte also received R$1.2 million from Santana City Hall, with resources from the Alcolumbre amendments to hold the “Viva Santana 2023” event. The event took place between November and December, with a gospel performance, choir, gastronomic event and technology fair.
In analysis, the CGU pointed out that the municipality did not meet the deadline for institutions interested in implementing the project to present their proposals, which harmed the competition, and that Inorte provided its account of the event in an incomplete manner.
The same was said in the execution of another amendment from Alcolumbre of around R$1 million for Inorte to run the city’s summer festival.
The senator said, through his advisors, that as established by the Constitution, “he never intended a special transfer amendment for institutes or NGOs” but rather for the Government of Amapá or for city halls, as provided for in the legislation.
He also said that the municipalities and the government benefiting from these amendments are legally responsible for reporting on resource management.
Inorte responded, through lawyer Hercílio Aquino, that the Amazon region, where Amapá is located, presents logistical and operational challenges that directly impact hiring costs, especially in the cultural area.
Furthermore, he stated that all established goals were exhaustively proven in a final report in the process and that the hiring of directors or people linked to the organization’s senior staff “becomes necessary to meet the operational demand, without the need to expand the staff with new external collaborators”.
Santana City Hall said that all entities were selected through a widely publicized public call and that the resources are applied in accordance with the planning prepared by management. The Government of Amapá did not respond to the report’s questions.
