President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva fulfilled a public agenda, on the afternoon of this Wednesday (16), in Natal, to announce a series of investments with federal resources for the state and municipalities of Rio Grande do Norte, in the areas of sanitation, education , urban mobility, infrastructure and housing works.
Alongside ministers, Lula made a point of praising, one by one, those who were present at the ceremony, including Camilo Santana (Education), Wellington Dias (Development and Social Assistance), Jáder Barbalho Filho (Cities), Renan Filho (Transport) , Sílvio Costa Filho (Ports and Airports), in addition to the former governor of Pernambuco and current president of Banco do Nordeste (BNB), Paulo Câmara, and the president of Caixa Econômica Federal, Carlos Vieira.
President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the governor of Rio Grande do Norte, Fátima Bezerra, during the ceremony to announce investments by the Federal Government in Rio Grande do Norte, in the Auditorium of the School of Government of Rio Grande do Norte. Photo: Ricardo Stuckert/PR
“It is only possible for a government to be good if it has good ministers. If a conductor doesn’t have good musicians, he won’t be a great conductor. If a football coach doesn’t have great players, he won’t be a great football coach”, he compared the president.
Lula made a point of ensuring the continuity of his ministerial team, amid recurring rumors that he could carry out a reform at the top level.
“The team is one of the most extraordinary there is. You realize that, rarely, the press says: ‘Is Lula going to change ministry?’. No one asks anymore. Because, in the last mandate, every day I had to answer if I’m going to change ministry I have no interest and no rush to change the team that is winning”, he highlighted.
In total, the announced resources total R$640 million. The majority, worth R$409 million, will be used in sewage works in the municipalities of Açu, Apodi, Natal, Parnamirim and São Paulo do Potengi, with R$327.4 million being resources financed by BNB, and another R$52 million, from the New PAC budget, for the treatment of sewage water that flows into the Apodi River. After completion of the works, the government estimates that basic sanitation in the metropolitan area of Natal will serve 1.3 million people.
Resources of R$47 million from the New PAC were announced for the construction of defenses on the Newton Navarro Bridge, which is over the Potengi River. The fenders are structures that protect the bridge pillars against possible collisions from vessels accessing the Port of Natal, the most important in the state.
“I think the President of the Republic has to understand that federated entities, municipalities and states, have to have a chance to grow, to progress. People want to improve their lives”, reinforced Lula, when defending investments. He asked the press to help monitor the effective implementation of the projects. “Help me keep track of the promises we made here, whether the things we promised here will happen.
Education and transport
In the area of education, construction work was launched on three new Federal Institute campuses in the cities of São Miguel, Touros and Umarizal. For each campus, according to the government, R$25 million will be allocated, with R$15 million for works and R$10 million for equipment.
In total, the New PAC will create 100 new campuses, adding to the 682 existing federal network units, with a planned investment of R$2.5 billion and the capacity to generate 140,000 new enrollments.
For the transport sector, the project to implement the Bus Corridor on Av. das Fronteiras, in Natal, was announced. The work was covered by the Novo PAC Seleções, in the Sustainable and Resilient Cities axis and will feature investments of R$33 million from the Union.
The project, which is expected to benefit more than 600 thousand people, between Natal and municipalities in the North Metropolitan Region, comprises the continuation of the bus corridor from Av. Tocatínea to BR 101, 2.5 kilometers long.
The Ministry of Transport also announced the launch of a tender for the duplication of the BR-304 highway, which connects Natal to Mossoró, the second largest city in the state. “The duplication of BR-304 is fundamental, firstly, to guarantee the well-being and safety of people, and it is fundamental to promote a new cycle of development for Rio Grande do Norte”, celebrated the governor, Fátima Bezerra.
Cisterns and houses
The ceremony marked the signing of a notice to hire entities responsible for the construction of 2,487 cisterns in the state, worth R$15.4 million. The works are contracted by the state management. The 16 thousand liter plate cisterns will be built in 24 municipalities in Rio Grande do Norte
During the event, the contracting of 400 housing units from Minha Casa Minha Vida was authorized, under the Residential Lease Fund (FAR) modality, 224 at Residencial Lagoa Azul II and 176 at Residencial Água Marinha, both in the state capital. For the project, R$65.3 million will be allocated.
Agenda
Still in Natal, in the early evening, Lula participates in a campaign rally alongside federal deputy Natália Bonavides (PT-RN), who is running in the 2nd round for mayor of Natal against Paulinho Freire (União Brasil).
From the capital of Rio Grande do Norte, Lula will head to Bahia, where he will complete a schedule in Salvador and the metropolitan region, this Thursday (17). He is also expected to participate in campaign events in Camaçari, in Greater Salvador. On Friday (18), Lula arrives in São Paulo, where his friend Guilherme Boulos (PSOL) is contesting the second vote against the current mayor, Ricardo Nunes (MDB).
