Mayor Muizzu: Asphalt would've been laid on Ameenee Magu today if budget was not withheld

Male’ City Mayor Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has stated that asphalt would have been laid on Ameenee Magu today if the government had not withheld Male’ Streetscaping Project’s budget.

Speaking at press conference held in conjunction with the first anniversary of the fourth session of Male’ City Council – Mayor Muizzu said the government does provide the cooperation required in connection to projects carried out by Male’ City Council.

He added that road difficulties presently faced by Male’ citizens would not be an issue today – should the Male’ Streetscaping Project contracted to Road Development Corporation (RDC) by the Council last year had not been stopped.

“As you know, today is a very rainy day as well. What we see, for an example, Ameenee Magu is extremely flooded. If the government had not withheld the budget since November, asphalt would have been laid on Ameenee Magu by now,” he had said.

Mayor Muizzu said that City Council team had been elected with the people’s vote, in order to serve them. However, he stressed this can only be achieved with cooperation from other government offices and authorities.

In this regard, he said that many major projects have been halted due to lack of cooperation from the government.

He added that withholding such projects deprive the people of the easements they are entitled to.

Speaking further, Mayor Muizzu underscored that Planning Ministry instructed amendments to Male’ Land Use Plan after it was submitted by the Council. However, he said no response has been received from the Ministry after the Plan had been resubmitted with the requested amendments.

Mayor Muizzu said urged cooperation from government authorities by prioritizing people’s needs in connection to matters directly related to their welfare.

He further stated that the decentralization system was introduced by law to empower the people – adding that the system had become true due to acceptance of its competence from all authorities and the cooperation rendered.

Noting that many had rendered their cooperation to members of Male’ City Council’s fourth term – he said there were few that had not.

“Due to many reasons, we note lack of support from some directions, especially from the directions we necessarily needed support from,” he added.

Underlining this, Mayor Muizzu expressed hope for cooperation from authorities that had not given the same previously over different reasons.

He thanked government authorities for closeness maintained in total, despite lack of cooperation at times.