The president made the announcement in the ceremony held to formally inaugurate the campaign of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) for the local council elections.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced the government will be conducting over 500 expansion projects across the country this year. The president said it would be impossible to conduct so many projects under a centralized system of governance, adding the projects can only be made successful by electing Councillors who are capable of managing these projects and understand the development goals of the administration.
President Solih further stated the government has brought important changes to empower local councils, such as extending the term of a council to five years and permitting financial independence to councils. The president said local councils will play a much superior role in the growth of the nation in the future, noting the upcoming council elections are very vital in shaping the future of the nation. He said the most significant responsibility of a council is to implement and monitor the development projects of the government, adding this would only be possible through councils that can work with the government.
In his speech, the president affirmed the assurance of the government to strengthen the decentralisation system of the country and to retain the authorities of councils that were seized by the previous government.
