Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Ribeira Brava council will take “urgent measures” to prevent a collapse in the water supply and ensure operational stability, and has attributed the financial dispute at the Preguiça Desalination Plant Solar Park to the previous administration.
In a press release, the council explained that the project “Access to Sustainable Energy for Water Management: Energy-Water Nexus” included a subsidy of 6,397,849 escudos, corresponding to 30% of the value of the works, under a protocol signed with the National Directorate of Industry, Commerce and Energy.
However, according to the same document, on November 18, 2024, 12 days before the municipal elections, a disbursement of 4,609,749 escudos was made to the council, an amount that, according to the protocol and the contract signed with the company Ric Energy Cabo Verde, Lda., should have been transferred “immediately and in full” to the aforementioned company.
According to the municipal executive, the private partner formally reported the existence of a debt and initiated arbitration proceedings, claiming an amount exceeding ten million reais, including interest for late payment.
The executive explained that the current contract, signed in August 2021 for a period of six years, provides for arbitration as a mechanism for resolving disputes, which, according to the city hall, exposes the municipality to significant financial risks.
The city council emphasized that the origin of the problem is associated with decisions, actions, and omissions of the previous administration, particularly regarding the use of the disbursed funds.
The city hall assured that the use and documentary proof of this amount are being investigated internally and that the facts will be addressed “in the appropriate forum,” with possible communication to the competent authorities, such as the Court of Auditors, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the Municipal Inspection.
Among the risks identified by the municipality, should the situation not be resolved urgently, are the possibility of serious failures in the solar park, impacts on the continuity of energy supply to the desalination plant, collapse in the water supply, especially during a period of higher demand such as Carnival, high repair costs, condemnation in arbitration, and “reputational damage that could compromise future partnerships.”
Faced with this scenario, the executive announced a set of immediate measures, including total priority to the operational stability of the desalination plant, negotiation of a “legally sound” institutional solution with the company Ric Energy Cabo Verde, rigorous defense of municipal finances, and increased transparency with citizens.
In the same statement, the city hall publicly thanked the director of Ric Energy Cabo Verde, Jorge Nogueira, for the “sense of responsibility and understanding” demonstrated in maintaining the provision of services and the maintenance of the system, prioritizing institutional dialogue over immediate legal action.
The municipal executive reaffirmed that it will resolve the matter rigorously and legally, in order to protect the water supply, defend public funds, and restore the institutional credibility of the municipality of Ribeira Brava.
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