LGA: Dissolution of ministry poses no threat to decentralized administration

The dissolution of the Local Government Ministry and the atoll councils do not pose a threat to the decentralized administration of Maldives, says the Local Government Authority (LGA).

On Tuesday, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu reshuffled his cabinet, asking half of his ministers to resign. The ministers who faced the axe included Adam Shareef Umar, who had headed the Local Government Ministry, which was established by President Muizzu in 2023 to deliver his electoral pledge to create a dedicated ministry to improve the functioning of councils under the Decentralization Act. The cabinet was downsized from 20 to 15, with the Local Government Ministry dissolved.

The cabinet reshuffle came after the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) suffered a heavy defeat in the local council elections held on April 4.

The dissolution of the ministry had some questioning whether it creates a legal void.

Addressing these concerns, the LGA said in a statement on Thursday that the decentralized administration of Maldives is prescribed under Article 230 of the Constitution. The LGA said that the Constitution also directs the President to establish island and city councils towards that front, while the Decentralization Act mandates that the LGA must provide the assistance and cooperation necessary for the provision of services declared on the Act.

LGA said that with the abolishment of atoll councils, all services previously provided by those councils are now provided by the authority.

“Given the aforementioned factors, and given that the law states that the atoll councils will be dissolved and all its legal obligations will transfer to the Local Government Authority, and given the Decentralization Act grants the Local Government Authority to establish offices in administrative districts to replace atoll councils, this authority does not believe that the dissolution of the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works pose any legal obstacle or vacuum for the decentralized administration of administrative districts as stated in the Constitution or Decentralization Act,” reads the statement.

President Muizzu had begun his administration with a 22-member cabinet. The cabinet was later downsized to 20, and now to 15. President’s Office states that 10 members of the cabinet resigned on Tuesday, to “allow room for the president to make the positive changes he wishes to make in order to run the government in line with the will of the people.”