During the ceremony, several uninhabited islands were handed over to councils, including one island to Raa Atoll Inguraidhoo Council, two islands to Dhaalu Atoll Council, and one island to Laamu Atoll Maavah Council.
Minister of Cities, Local Government, and Public Works, Adam Shareef, said today that financial empowerment of councils is key to strengthening the decentralization system in Maldives.
Speaking at a ceremony where uninhabited islands were handed over to several councils, he highlighted the significant revenue disparity between Male’ City Council and councils in other islands.
While the revenue generated by Male' City Council enables it to provide numerous municipal services, island councils with limited revenue face significant challenges in offering services.
During the ceremony, several uninhabited islands were handed over to councils, including one island to Raa Atoll Inguraidhoo Council, two islands to Dhaalu Atoll Council, and one island to Laamu Atoll Maavah Council.
Adam Shareef said that 28 uninhabited islands have been made available for councils, with many expressing interest in acquiring them. He urged councils and local residents to ensure these islands are used for projects that will benefit their communities.
The minister said that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's tenure as Mayor of Male’ City and his seven years as a government minister gives him firsthand knowledge of how to facilitate and manage decentralization in a way that benefits the entire country.
The minister said that the government strives to make essential services more accessible to people living in the islands. Therefore, services such as passport and ID card issuance are now available on many islands.
He added that financial empowerment and collaboration between councils and the government are key to strengthening decentralization across Maldives.
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