Male’ City’s Deputy Mayor, Ahmed Nareesh, has stated that the Male’ City Council is now operating more efficiently under the current Administration.

Speaking on MMTV's Bodu Khabaru programme, Nareesh compared the present circumstances to those under the previous government, asserting that former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had not actively engaged with the council during his tenure.

Nareesh explained that when the current council members were elected, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was in power. Despite being affiliated with the same party, council members were unable to secure a meeting with then-president Ibrahim Solih or discuss matters concerning the council.

In contrast, Nareesh commended President Dr Mohamed Muizzu for his proactive approach, stating that he has actively engaged with councils across the country since taking office. He emphasised that, for the first time in Maldivian history, a sitting president had visited the Male’ City Council office and held discussions with its members.

According to Nareesh, President Dr Muizzu has carefully considered the council’s concerns, acknowledged key issues, and taken steps to address them. He also highlighted that, despite Male’ City’s current mayor being a member of the opposition MDP, the Government has continued to involve the council in official state functions and activities. He noted that all Ministries are facilitating the council’s full participation in decision-making and implementation processes—an approach he claimed was absent under the previous administration.

Furthermore, Nareesh stated that President Dr Muizzu had assured the council that all available resources were being utilized to support projects under its jurisdiction. He added that Ministries, under President Dr Muizzu’s leadership, were actively working to assist the council—contrasting this with what he described as the previous government’s lack of cooperation.

He suggested that the council can function effectively when the central government provides the necessary support, but when such cooperation is lacking, its operations face significant obstacles.

Addressing financial challenges faced under the former administration, Nareesh criticized former finance minister Ibrahim Ameer for allegedly withholding funds allocated to the council. He claimed that council representatives frequently had to engage in prolonged negotiations to receive the funds they were entitled to.

Nareesh concluded by stating that the Male’ City Council now operates with greater ease due to President Dr Muizzu’s commitment to addressing its concerns. He noted that, during his tenure as mayor, President Dr Muizzu had faced challenges under the previous administration, struggling to secure cooperation from the central government. However, since assuming the presidency, he as prioritised engaging with local councils, ensuring they receive the support needed to function effectively.