Some councils create obstacles for government: Nimal

Local Government Authority (LGA) Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Nimal has said some local councils are creating obstacles for the government, arguing that ruling party candidates should secure a majority in councils to facilitate development.

Speaking at a People's National Congress (PNC) campaign event last night, Nimal said opposition majority councils were, in his view, hindering government led development efforts.

“The reasons for giving the majority of councils to the government are very clear,” he said, alleging that councils dominated by the opposition act in ways that obstruct development projects.

Nimal cited several examples to support his claims.

He said Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed had contacted him on multiple occasions regarding a case in which prayers were halted at an island mosque despite permission having been granted by the ministry.

He also alleged that some councils had failed to allocate land for ATM installations, prompting the LGA to intervene by designating land and negotiating solutions.

According to Nimal, there were instances where councils did not allow space within council offices to set up desks for passport services, requiring the LGA to issue notices to resolve the matter.

He further claimed that certain councils had refused to allocate land to accommodate workers brought to islands to carry out asphalt laying projects.

“These are the stories people need to know,” Nimal said, reiterating that councils should have a government majority to avoid such issues.

Nimal described councils as a working layer alongside the government to develop island communities, adding that they should not function as a mechanism to hold the government accountable.

“I want to call on councils to open their doors to the people as easily as possible when they knock seeking development,” he said.

Referring to the Decentralization Act, Nimal said he had long heard about its promised benefits but believed the public had yet to experience them fully.

He praised President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s efforts, saying the President had visited every island twice within two years in office to meet councils and listen to their concerns.

“He did his homework himself. He made the necessary legal changes and began the task of bringing the benefits of decentralization to the people, travelling across the Maldives from north to south,” Nimal said.