Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim has submitted an inquiry seeking the total number of employees appointed to various positions within the Foreign Service.
In a formal question addressed to Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam, the MP requested clarification on the total number of staff appointed across all categories of the Foreign Service under the Foreign Service Act as of yesterday.
Furthermore, the inquiry seeks the total number of employees appointed to fulfil responsibilities under the Act, along with a detailed breakdown of the roles and mandates assigned to these individuals.
The MP also requested an explanation as to why external candidates are being appointed to diplomatic missions and general consular positions instead of long-serving Foreign Ministry staff when filling roles and responsibilities.
While Mohamed Ibrahim has moved to obtain the total headcount of the Foreign Service, the government has repeatedly refused to disclose the number of political appointees as it nears its third year in office.
Most recently, the President's Office failed to provide this information even after a request was filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Despite a directive from the Information Commissioner’s Office on July 5 ordering the disclosure of the data within 14 days, the President's Office has yet to comply.
The Foreign Ministry is considered one of the ministries with the highest number of political appointees; however, the exact figure remains undisclosed to date.
