Credit for new airport terminal belongs to all three governments: President Muizzu

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that the credit for the new terminal at Velana International Airport (VIA), set to open on 26 July, belongs to the current administration as well as the two preceding governments.

Speaking on the eighth episode of "Rayyithunaa Eku" podcast, President Muizzu emphasized the need to move away from the political tendency to claim sole credit for national development projects.

"We have a bad habit [of certain people trying to take credit]. We have to stop this habit. The truth is obvious. Due credit should be given to everyone," he said.

President Muizzu said that the development of VIA is a result of efforts made by multiple administrations. The airport was first opened during the tenure of President Ibrahim Nasir, and its transformation into a modern international hub has been a gradual process involving various phases of development.

According to the President, the new terminal project was initiated under former President Abdulla Yameen’s administration, with further progress made under former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Since Muizzu took office, the remaining work including the interior fittings and key operational components has been completed.

“Anyone who looks at the facts will see which government did what and how much. There’s no need to argue over who did more. That’s childish behavior,” he said.

President Muizzu said one of his first visits during the transition period was to review progress at the airport site, and added that completing the terminal has been a top priority of his government.

He said that although the target was to open the terminal by October last year, various delays occurred. While the exterior structure was mostly finished when his government took over, many key operational elements such as interior work, the aircraft stand, and the duty-free zone had not been awarded to any party.

“These critical components were not even included in the previous administration’s reported 54 percent completion figure,” President Muizzu said. He added that these works were awarded and carried out during his tenure.

The terminal is now scheduled to open on 26 July, in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of Maldivian independence. Full operational services are expected to begin by September.

“I would never deny that former leaders contributed. A lot of what was started during President Yameen’s government was completed under President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s government. Now is also the same,” President Muizzu said.

His comments come amid political debate over who deserves credit for the terminal. Former Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer, who served under President Solih, claimed that majority of work was completed under their administration. The project had stalled after the 2018 election and needed to be “restarted from scratch” during Solih’s term.

Former President Mohamed Nasheed said it was “remarkable” that political leaders were trying to claim credit for a project that had caused substantial public debt.

Originally launched in 2016 under the Yameen administration, the new terminal project has faced delays over the years. Since President Muizzu assumed office, the government has secured additional financing including USD 100 million from the Saudi Fund for Development and USD 80 million from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development to accelerate completion. The total cost of the project is estimated at USD 600 million (MVR 9.2 billion).