It has been revealed that First Lady Sajidha Mohamed receives income from three different sources, according to financial disclosures.
The President’s Office yesterday published the financial statements of President Mohamed Muizzu and Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef on its official website, midway through the presidential term.
Muizzu’s financial statement includes the income received by the First Lady over the past six months. The statement does not specify the income she received prior to this period.
Over the last six months, Sajidha received a total of MVR 282,926 in income. This consists of MVR 199,999 as the official allowance for the President’s spouse, MVR 78,000 as salary from Dhimyaath Private Limited, and MVR 4,927 for her work as a consultant for the Ministry of Health.
Sajidha is the only spouse of a Maldivian president to hold an official government position during a presidential term. All expenses for the President’s family are typically covered by the state budget, funded by taxpayer money.
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) faced scrutiny after establishing a special regulation to allow Sajidha to remain in her post as a Senior Scientific Officer at the Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA). The commission members were summoned before the Parliament’s Committee on Independent Institutions on December 11, 2023.
During that committee meeting, CSC members said that Sajidha had requested the ministry to allow her to continue her civil service duties alongside her responsibilities as First Lady. Mohamed Nasih, then-President of the CSC, informed the committee that Sajidha had expressed a desire to work without receiving a civil service salary.
However, Nasih explained that since CSC regulations do not permit anyone to work without compensation, it was mandatory to arrange some form of remuneration for her.
Sajidha has previously stated that she does not believe her official duties should prevent her from serving at the MFDA.
To facilitate her continued service, the CSC granted Sajidha a consultancy contract. Under this agreement, she is required to work 40 hours per month at a rate of MVR 75 per hour.
As the President’s spouse, Sajidha receives an allowance equivalent to one-third of the President’s salary, amounting to MVR 33,330 per month. Sajidha is also the managing director and majority shareholder of Dhimyaath Private Limited. Based on the disclosed figures, her monthly earnings as a consultant average approximately MVR 821.
