The Government has called on island councils to hire contractors for the construction of 55 island secretariats across six atolls, as part of its effort to strengthen local governance and decentralisation.
Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works Adam Shareef Umar directed councils in Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa and Dhaalu atolls to recruit personnel to oversee the new offices.
The Haa Alif Utheemu Council has already taken the lead in this effort, announcing a search for a contractor to manage the construction of its new council secretariat.
In January, the government awarded the construction contract to Malaysian firm Hexter Global on a contractor-financed basis. Construction is underway, with groundbreaking ceremonies held for 13 buildings. All 55 offices are expected to be completed within two years and six months.
The Government has also committed to building an additional 50 council offices under the Public Sector Investment Programme. Once completed, the two initiatives will provide 105 new council buildings, easing space constraints for about 70 per cent of councils currently facing shortages.
According to the Ministry, the project aims to address infrastructure challenges and improve administrative efficiency.
