Fish market agreement allegedly detrimental to council submitted to ACC

Male' City Council Galolhu North member Saif Faathih has submitted the Male' Fish Market development agreement which to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

In a letter addressed to Mayor Adam Azim, Saif Faathih alleged that the city council had previously announced, evaluated, and awarded the fish market project to selected parties at a cost of USD 6.1 million. However, before Mayor Azim officially assumed office, the original agreement was canceled and a new agreement was signed with a completely different company, this time for USD 9.5 million.

The new deal, which is USD 3.5 million more than the initial contract, was reportedly signed by Legal Officer Naseer. Saif requested in his letter that Naseer be removed from his responsibilities until the matter is fully investigated.

Although the issue is already under review by the Audit Office, Saif stated that he found it necessary to also submit the case to the Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigation.

He further claimed that the council had not approved the new agreement or any amendments related to it, and that the changes violate the State Finance Act and related regulations, which prohibit unauthorized contract changes and price adjustments. Saif argued that the agreement places an undue burden on the council and constitutes an act of corruption and mismanagement, designed to unfairly benefit certain individuals.

As a result, Saif has requested that Legal Officer Naseer appear before the council meeting on Wednesday to be questioned regarding the reasons behind the decision, the intended purpose, the procedure followed, and under whose directive the new agreement was signed. He also called on Mayor Azim to present a detailed report outlining the progress of the case, as well as the key differences between the original and revised agreements.