President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has appointed 13 additional State Ministers to various government bodies of his administration.
The newly appointed state ministers were presented with their letters of appointment on Wednesday evening, December 13, at a special ceremony held in the President's Office.
The appointments made by the President:
1. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs - Sheryna Abdul Samad
2. Minister of State for Finance - Zidna Ibrahim
3. Minister of State for Education - Aishath Safoora
4. Minister of State for Health - Muhammad Zaheen
5. Minister of State for Health - Aminath Shirna
6. Minister of State for Tourism - Uz. Ahmed Nazim Mohamed
7. Minister of State for Islamic Affairs - Uz. Abdulla Saudhan
8. Minister of State for Social and Family Development - Mariyam Azra Ahmed
9. Minister of State for Social and Family Development - Ahmed Athif
10. Minister of State of Social and Family Development - Aishath Zuhurubaan
11. Minister of State for Climate Change Environment and Energy - Ibrahim Mimrah
12. Minister of State for Youth Empowerment Information and Arts - Abdul Latheef Ahmed
13. Minister of State for Cities, Local Government and Public Works - Mohamed Mahir
Some of the new appointees have previously filled other governmental designations in preceding administrations as well.
Additionally, on Wednesday, President Muizzu appointed journalism veteran Mohamed Shaheeb as the new Spokesperson of the President's Office, and he was appointed at the State Minister's level.
So far, the current administration has appointed 54 State Ministers and 67 Deputy Ministers. Additionally, nine individuals in executive-level government positions have the same rank as State Ministers, while eight others were appointed to various government designations at the Deputy Minister level.
The current cabinet is comprised of 22 ministers, with 19 of them at ministerial levels.
The basic salary of a State Minister is MVR 32,000 per month with an additional allowance of MVR 15,000, bringing their total take-home pay to MVR 47,000 a month.
Deputy ministers receive a basic salary of MVR 20,500 and an allowance of MVR 15,000, bringing their total take-home-pay to MVR 35,500.
Prior to the inauguration, President Muizzu's transitional spokesperson Mohamed Firzul affirmed that the new government's political appointees would not exceed over 700.
In the most recent state budget presented during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration, there were 1,063 political appointees in various state designations around the end of his presidency.
During his predecessor, former President Abdulla Yameen's administration, the government consisted of 808 political appointees.