Male’ City Council Assumes Responsibility for Mosque Cleaning in Greater Male’ Region

The Male’ City Council has made the decision to take on the task of cleaning mosques across the Greater Male’ Region, citing concerns over the quality of services provided by external contractors.

Mayor Adam Azim, speaking during a council meeting, expressed dissatisfaction with the standard of work carried out by contracted firms. Specifically addressing deficiencies in mosque cleaning services, Mayor Azim announced the council’s resolution to transfer this responsibility from external contractors to the city council itself.

In his address, Mayor Azim assured that this transition would not result in increased costs. He highlighted the current monthly expenditure of USD143 million by external contractors, contrasting it with the projected USD136 million cost for in-house cleaning. Furthermore, he outlined plans to integrate council-hired employees into civil service positions.

Deputy Mayor Ahmed Nareesh supported Mayor Azim’s concerns, emphasising the importance of addressing cleanliness issues in mosques. He noted a recurring pattern of consolidating cleaning efforts for clusters of mosques every five or six cycles. Additionally, Nareesh acknowledged public grievances regarding insufficient sanitation in mosque facilities.

Nareesh also raised criticisms regarding the oversight of contracted employees, stressing the necessity for robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms. He acknowledged past challenges faced by the Civil Service Commission in recruiting civil servants under the previous administration.