100 days for govt: asset declarations of top officials kept secret!

Feb 25, 2024, 9:17 AM
President Muizzu and Special Advisor Abdul Raheem. -- Photo: President's Office

President Muizzu and Special Advisor Abdul Raheem. -- Photo: President's Office

Asset declarations of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef, ministers and top government officials have not been made public as pledged 100 days ago when the new administration took office.

The government previously said President Muizzu intends to publicly disclose the financial statements. President's Office Undersecretary Mohamed Firuzul said this on November 19, 2023 on the second day of the government

However, as the government marks 100 days in office today, the asset declarations have yet to be published on the President's Office website.

The Audit Office told Adhadhu that the government has submitted the asset declarations. But the office declined to disclose the statements.

The President's Office has not officially responded to the issue or commented on the status of the task. The statements were previously published on the President's Office website.

During former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration, his asset declaration along with those of Vice President Faisal Naseem, ministers and all top officials at the President's Office were disclosed on January 10, 2019, 55 days after assuming office. Records show that the statements had been published on that date.

Months later, asset declarations of that government's state ministers and deputy ministers were published on the President's Office website. The statements were then published once a year.

During the campaign, President Muizzu said he was working to form "a clean government that doesn't hide anything."

"I won't leave anything to be hidden in any government office. I won't let the public or journalists be unable to learn something," President Muizzu said at a rally in Laamu Gan on September 25 during the presidential election campaign.

The President has repeatedly said that the number of political posts would not exceed 700. However, there are at least 305 appointees to date as just ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers. Their wage bill costs more than MVR 13 million a month.

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