The Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works has been abolished under the changes to facilitate positive government reforms.
Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works Adam Shareef Umar is one of the 10 cabinet ministers who abruptly resigned yesterday out of the 20 cabinet ministers.
When the mandates of 20 ministries were changed last night at 7:00pm and when the total number of ministries were reduced to 15, the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works were not a part of the recomposed cabinet.
After the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works was abolished, the work surrounding the Public Works part of the ministry was brought under the purview of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development.
This includes assistance from the public works for government activities, determining the regulations for the management of the buildings that were established in atolls and use of resources, and making arrangements for the maintenance of said buildings and resources. This also includes giving financial recommendations to local councils regarding the management of public infrastructure projects, and to ascertain the quality of such projects along with monitoring them.
Before the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works was founded, the work surrounding the public works was under the purview of the Ministry of Housing.
Even though the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works has been abolished, the employees that work at the ministry went to work today. These include civil service employees and political appointees.
Sources say that the employees are to work at the ministry until they are given further instructions.
According to a statement on the President's Office website regarding the resignation of 10 Cabinet Ministers, it was to allow President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu the opportunity to implement positive government reforms he envisions in keeping with the aspirations of the people.
With the resignation of the ministers, President Muizzu has merged a number of ministries and appointed ministers to the cabinet, with their letters of appointment having been presented to them. With 12 ministers having been sworn in last night at the President's Office, some mandates of the ministries have been changed as well.
The Ministry of Housing and Infrastructure had its name changed to the Ministry of Infrastructure, Urban and Housing Development. The Economic Development Ministry and Transport Ministry were merged, forming the Ministry of Economic Development, Transport and Trade, with tourism having been brought under the purview of civil aviation and named the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.
The Education Ministry and Higher Education Ministry were merged, forming the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development. The Youth Ministry and Sports Ministry were merged, forming the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Fitness. The Ministry of Dhivehi Language, Culture and Heritage has been changed to the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage.
Ministries that have been merged and ministers that have been appointed:
- Moosa Zameer as Finance and Public Enterprises Minister
- Ali Ihusan as Homeland Security, Labour and Technology Minister
- Iruthisham Adam as Foreign Minister
- Geela Ali as Health, Family and Welfare Minister
- Mohamed Saeed as Economic, Transport and Trade Minister
- Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed as Islamic Affairs Minister
- Heena Waleed as Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister
- Dr. Abdulla Muththalib as Infrastructure, Urban and Housing Development Minister
- Ali Shareef as Climate Change, Environment and Energy Minister
- Dr. Ismail Shafeeu as Education, Higher Education and Skills Minister
- Mohamed Ameen as Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister
- Abdulla Rafiu as Youth Empowerment and Fitness Minister
Ministers who resigned from the cabinet yesterday:
- Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdulla Khaleel
- Minister of Defence Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon
- Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim
- Minister of Social and Family Development Dr. Aishath Shiham
- Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works Adam Shareef Umar
- Minister of Agriculture and Animal Welfare Dr. Maryam Mariya
- Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts Ibrahim Waheed
- Minister of Tourism and Environment Thoriq Ibrahim
- Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development Dr. Ali Haidar
- Minister of Dhivehi Language, Culture and Heritage Adam Naseer
10 out of 20 cabinet ministers resigned yesterday. The government has also recently dismissed several heads of State Owned Enterprises, while others have resigned.
These changes come in the wake of the ruling party suffering a major drop in support in the recent April 4 elections. Following the results of the election being announced, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced that he accepts the results and will bring necessary changes to the administration.
