Bahia launches new nautical park and faces PPP lighting contract controversy

The mayor of Feira de Santana, José Ronaldo de Carvalho, presented the executive project for a nautical park on the banks of the Rio Jacuípe. A contract was signed with the Fundação Getúlio Vargas to conduct an economic‑financial feasibility study. The 260,000‑square‑metre development is expected to generate about 1,300 direct and indirect jobs during construction and a similar number during operation, with an initial municipal investment of R$2.9 million.

In the neighboring municipality of Santo Antônio de Jesus, a public‑private partnership worth R$46 million was approved to modernise street lighting. The concession, awarded to the consortium São Bento Lighting Solutions, has drawn legal scrutiny after the signing process missed statutory deadlines and used non‑qualified electronic signatures, contrary to ICP‑Brasil requirements. These procedural flaws have raised doubts about the contract’s legality and could lead to judicial challenges.