President Mohamed Muizzu has decided that the offices established by the Local Government Authority (LGA) to replace the Atoll Councils—which were dissolved following constitutional and decentralization law amendments—will be officially named "Atoll Offices."
In a letter addressed to LGA CEO Ahmed Nimal, the President's Office stated that Muizzu has recommended the designation "Local Government Authority - (Atoll Name) Office" for the administrative centers established to provide LGA services across the atolls.
With the reinstatement of Atoll Offices, the staff currently employed at the administrative secretariats of the dissolved Atoll Councils will be integrated into these new offices. All such personnel will be transferred to the LGA's workforce.
The letter from the President's Office further instructed that these employment transitions be managed to ensure that no employee loses their job and that there is no reduction in their current salaries or benefits.
The Decentralization Act was recently amended to bring LGA employees under the Civil Service mandate.
The government maintains that the dissolution of Atoll Councils was intended to streamline and strengthen the administration of the decentralized system. However, critics argue that this move dismantles the original vision of decentralization and is aimed at consolidating power within the central government.
