“The financial contribution was utilized for its intended purpose – the acquisition of food items – with UFALCD [Union of Parishes of Algés, Linda-a-Velha, and Cruz Quebrada/Dafundo] providing the necessary documentation,” concluded the audit of the Mercearia Social’s financial contribution.
The audit was initiated by the mayor, Isaltino Morais, from the Inovar Oeiras de Volta (IN-OV) movement, following queries from the Evoluir Oeiras coalition (BE/Livre/Volt).
The findings revealed “weaknesses in the procedures for acquiring food items,” indicating “opportunities for improvement,” particularly concerning “sporadic and systematic purchases of the same goods,” through simplified direct adjustment with the same company, bypassing “legally required procedures” given the total amount.
Other weaknesses include the lack of evidence of preliminary price consultations in the market and the “justification for the choice of supplier.”
The audit established that expenditures are eligible only during the nine-month contract term, from November 2023 to August 2024, totaling 9,280 euros.
However, expenditures beyond this period were presented, prompting the audit to recommend “an addendum to the contract,” to avoid a refund of 15,719 euros, corresponding to the remaining period, as a nine-month duration was not intended.
UFALCD has held a Pingo Doce card since 2020 “to benefit from weekly discount campaigns,” which was “under the care of the three workers” at the Mercearia Social.
Using the card earns fuel discounts at BP, a company that does not supply the parish’s vehicles, and fuel purchases accumulate points redeemable for gifts.
The audit noted purchases at Pingo Doce totaling 6,050.92 euros, with “a promotional discount” of “only 64.35 euros, representing 1% of the total,” and “444 euros in fuel discounts.”
“Fuel discounts of 440 euros were used by the three workers assigned to the Mercearia Social for personal purposes,” with 104 euros from previous discounts, and they “accumulated 1,035 points,” of which “300 were used” at BP stations.
The card was used at stations “outside Oeiras (Vilamoura, Caldas da Rainha) and on Saturdays and Sundays, which would not be justified within the scope of these workers’ duties,” the auditors said, adding that “113 euros in fuel discounts expired.”
According to UFALCD, “the card is currently under the executive’s care, and its private use is prohibited.”
An internal “process of investigations” is underway to determine any responsibilities, it added.
Municipal deputy Mónica Albuquerque from Evoluir Oeiras stated that the audit confirms concerns “timely raised by the coalition” and “shows inaccuracies in the use of public funds and other weaknesses in the services of this parish council,” and the council’s services, which should be “appropriately resolved.”
“It is now necessary to ensure the rigorous follow-up of all the audit’s recommendations,” she argued, suggesting that “an action plan with concrete deadlines be presented, corrective measures be publicized, and an audit be conducted in other parishes,” as well as “determine possible responsibilities of the parish president and involved staff” in the Pingo Doce card use.
Isaltino Morais’s office replied that the mayor agrees with the audit’s conclusions and that “the support was not used for purposes other than those intended,” but “to fulfill food needs” of the project.
The parish president also noted that UFALCD’s executive has instructed changes in purchasing policies, “initiating a continuous procedure through prior consultation,” and that an addendum to the contract, “or another solution,” will be assessed to address the term oversight.
“As soon as we learned about it, we changed the procedures and requested an Ethics and Conduct Code, which we ordered,” said UFALCD president João Antunes (IN-OV), adding that the card was “automatically withdrawn” from employees.
Regarding the inquiry, he admitted he does not want to “cause problems to the staff,” as “it was nothing serious” and he was unaware of the situation until calling “the previous president, who confirmed having authorized the card use.”
João Antunes indicated that the project provides “food support to almost 500 people” and, for now, “the parish council had to cover the expenses of this food bank,” hoping to be reimbursed, as “the mayor says he does not want anyone to go hungry.”
