Ghafoor claims 30% of state funds are being lost to corruption despite record state budgets

Corruption within the state has reached alarming levels, with 30 percent of public funds being lost to theft and corruption, Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, MDP parliamentarian for Hanimaadhoo, alleged on Monday.

Speaking during the parliamentary debate on the government's proposed 2027 budget, Abdul Ghafoor Moosa argued that despite the state having access to significantly larger budgets in recent years, citizens were not seeing corresponding improvements in public services or infrastructure.

He noted that while the previous administration spent MVR 182 billion through state budgets, the current administration has been allocated a combined budget of MVR 290 billion. However, he said the government had failed to deliver projects that brought meaningful benefits to the public.

According to Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, people elect new governments with the hope that they will achieve what previous administrations could not, and public budgets are approved with the expectation that they will improve citizens' lives.

Turning to healthcare, he questioned whether the public was receiving adequate services despite substantial state expenditure.

"A national budget is not passed for its own sake. It is approved to improve the lives of citizens. Yet people still struggle to obtain the medicines they need for their illnesses," he said.

Referring to difficulties in accessing medication, he said many Maldivians continue to travel abroad seeking treatment and medicine.

"Today, when someone travels overseas, they often carry numerous prescriptions from relatives and neighbours who cannot obtain the medicines they require here at home," he said.

Noting that approximately MVR 10 billion has been allocated to the healthcare sector in next year's budget, Abdul Ghafoor Moosa questioned how the funds were being utilised. He added that complaints regarding medicine shortages continue to emerge from health centres and hospitals across the country.

The MDP lawmaker said successive governments come to power on the promise of addressing public concerns, but argued that those expectations were not being met. He also accused the administration of failing to implement key development projects.

"There is extreme corruption within the state, Honourable Speaker. Corruption and theft have reached a level where they are undermining national progress. Nearly 30 percent of state funds are being lost through corruption and theft," he said.

Abdul Ghafoor Moosa further claimed that major projects in his constituency were either stalled or had failed to commence.

He cited the lack of road development, airport runway expansion, hospital development and police infrastructure in HDh. Hanimaadhoo. He also alleged that port development in Naivaadhoo had come to a halt, road development projects remained incomplete, and works on both the HDh. Finey port and a school project had seen little progress in recent years.

"This is a disservice to the very people whose money is being spent. Governments are elected to serve citizens, and these are not failures that the public should be forced to accept," he said.