The Government has appointed Telmo Antunes Ferreira, who was the president of the Vouzela Chamber, for the PSD, and the district director of Viseu for Social Security, as a member of the Social Security Institute (ISS). Telmo Antunes Ferreira replaced Henrique Joaquim, who had been appointed by the previous government and who will now dedicate himself exclusively to the National Strategy for the Integration of Homeless People (ENIPSSA).
Questioned by the Observer, the Ministry of Labor indicates that Henrique Joaquim “due to his experience and knowledge, remains as executive manager” of ENIPSSA, “but now with greater availability of time for these functions, no longer reconciling them with the functions of Member of the EEI.”
To take his place, the Government has chosen Telmo Antunes Ferreira, who will fill the position as a replacement, pending the conclusion of the competition carried out by the Commission for Recruitment and Selection for Public Administration (Cresap), “in order to guarantee the normal and efficient functioning of this service”. The Ministry stresses that “he has the qualifications, skills and experience for the position he will hold”.
Telmo Ferreira holds a degree in Law from the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra and holds postgraduate academic diplomas such as the Advanced Management Programme for Executives (PAGE) from the Catholic School of Business and Economics of Lisbon; the Business Management Programme (PDE) from AESE Business School, in collaboration with IESE – Institute of Advanced Business Studies, University of Navarra; the Management of Social Organizations Programme (GOS) from AESE Business School and the Advanced Course in Public Management (CAGEP) from INA – General Directorate for the Qualification of Workers in the Civil Service.
“He knows the ISS and IP very well, as he was director of the Viseu Social Security district from January 2014 to July 2018,” he points out.
Although the government does not mention it, Telmo Antunes was president of the Vouzela Chamber from 2002 to 2013, for the PSD, and was a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic. According to the Jornal do Centro, he currently works as a business consultant. The Ministry adds that the procedure to request the opening of the competition to Cresap is being prepared and that “it will be accepted shortly.”
The Social Security Institute had already lost its president, Ana Vásques, who asked to leave because she believed that the current government was showing “a lack of confidence” following the issue of IRS withholdings on pensions. “Showing surprise and astonishment at this decision and in this regard pointing out the omission of this matter in the meeting of April 22 between the board of directors of the ISS, Excellency and the Secretary of State for Social Security, objectively constitute a manifestation of the government’s lack of confidence in the president of the board of directors of the ISS,” according to the letter. In her place was appointed Octávio Félix de Oliveira, former Secretary of State of the PSD.
Government elects former Secretary of State Octávio Félix de Oliveira as president of the Social Security Institute
The universe supervised by the Ministry of Social Security has been one of those that has made the most changes. To give some examples, the Government also dismissed the president of the Social Security Information Technology Institute, Paula Barrocas Salgado, alleging the “need to provide new guidelines for the management of services”. Or the vice president of the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP), Bernardo Santos e Sousa, who was appointed executive director of the National Plan for the Implementation of the Youth Guarantee.
The Ministry has already announced a number of competitions for replacement posts (replacements that were made on a temporary basis). According to the Cresap website, the competition procedures that will be opened soon are those for the President of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Informatics, Director of Social Security for the Viseu district, President of the Board of Directors of the Social Security Institute, Vice-President of the IEFP, Director of Human Resources of the same entity and regional delegates and sub-delegates.
The Ministry’s universe has been the target of several reshuffles even during other changes of government. For example, former Minister Vieira da Silva dismissed the IEFP management two months after taking office, in January 2016, as well as more than 80 intermediate and regional directors of that entity, justifying the need to give new strategic orientations to the services. Vieira da Silva had also dismissed Bernardo Sousa – an IEFP deputy removed from that position by the current Government – at the end of 2015, along with the rest of the board of directors, citing the need to “adopt a new approach to the performance of the institute’s competencies and duties.”
Exonerated, dissolved and forced to be fired. Justifications for removing leaders inherited from the previous Government
Source: Observadora
