ACC: 2026 budget inadequate to fully meet legal responsibilities

The President of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Adam Shamil, stated today that the budget allocated to the ACC for the coming year is insufficient to allow the institution to fully execute its legal responsibilities.

Speaking at a meeting of the Parliament’s Budget Review Committee, Shamil pointed out that the budget set for the ACC for next year is even lower than its allocated budget ceiling.

The ACC's budget ceiling was MVR 49.8 million. However, the budget book, however, allocates MVR 47.4 million for the ACC for the coming year.

Shamil revealed that the "New Policy Initiative" included in the budget covers a project that was ranked only as the third priority among those submitted by the commission, with an expenditure of just MVR 200,000.

He explicitly stated that the allocated budget is not adequate to fulfill the duties mandated by Article 21 of the ACC Act.

Shamil detailed that 97 percent of the ACC's budget for next year is allocated to staff salaries, benefits, and office administrative costs. This leaves only 3.4 percent, which is MVR 1.6 million for direct programs aimed at fulfilling the commission’s responsibilities.

"Looking at the commission's overall baseline budget, 78.3 percent (MVR 37 million) is for staff salaries and benefits. After that, we will face significant difficulties in conducting investigations and fulfilling responsibilities mandated by law, given the geography of the Maldives. Only 0.3 percent (MVR 130,000) has been allocated in the budget for investigative travel," he explained.

Shamil also highlighted the high cost of rent, which currently consumes 10 percent of the budget which is MVR 4.8 million. He mentioned the commission made considerable efforts to reduce the rental expense.

He voiced serious concern that the ACC is currently operating out of a residential building, which is unsuitable for such an institution. Operating in a public residential building makes it difficult to ensure the safety and privacy of individuals summoned for investigations or information gathering.

"Even when people are summoned, not as suspects but just to clarify information, the way the location is set up often makes it appear in public and in the media as if they are being treated as criminals. Anti-corruption commissions in other countries are often run similar to police departments," he argued.

The ACC President expressed concern that staff are working in very cramped spaces, necessitating immediate solutions.

"I believe that the Anti-Corruption Commission should absolutely not be operating in a public residential home. The arrangements should be such that we can carry out our work more effectively. For instance, at the moment, we do not have control over people entering and exiting," the ACC President added.