Vila Nova de Gaia Housing Director Suspended Over Alleged Fake Degree

Paulo Ferreira do Amaral, appointed as director of municipal housing in Vila Nova de Gaia, was suspended after an anonymous complaint raised doubts about the authenticity of his university degree in Sciences. The municipality contacted the University of Porto’s Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), which said it could not locate any documentation confirming the qualification. Ferreira explained that a fire in 1984 destroyed some records and pledged to submit supporting paperwork by the deadline.

Mayor Luís Filipe Menezes acted on the complaint, removing Ferreira only four months after his appointment. The local Socialist Party (PS/Gaia) held the mayor politically responsible for the episode and for broader shortcomings in the housing department, citing the brief tenure of former deputy director Álvaro Santos as evidence of systemic issues. The party demanded clear explanations about the housing structure and future policy in the city.