The Government has called on island councils to begin contractor recruitment for the construction of 55 new council secretariats, a key part of the administration’s decentralisation and governance reform agenda.
Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, Adam Shareef Umar, has directed councils in Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, and Dhaalu atolls to move forward with the hiring process. The Haa Alif Utheemu Council has already taken the lead, becoming the first to publicly seek a contractor to manage construction of its new office.
This directive follows the Government’s January decision to award Malaysian company Hextar Global the main construction contract on a contractor-financed basis. Groundbreaking ceremonies have since taken place for 13 of the proposed buildings, with completion of all 55 offices expected within two years and six months.
The initiative is part of a larger plan to address infrastructure shortfalls across island councils. The Government has committed to building another 50 council offices under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), bringing the total to 105 new offices. According to the Ministry, this will alleviate space constraints for approximately 70 percent of councils currently struggling with inadequate facilities.
The Ministry of Cities and Local Government said the project is aimed at strengthening administrative capacity at the local level and ensuring island councils have the infrastructure needed to deliver services effectively.
