Series of Dismissals and Resignations at State-Owned Enterprises

The Privatization and Corporatization Board (PCB) has dismissed and accepted the resignation of several senior officials across state-owned enterprises, marking a series of leadership changes.

The board confirmed it had accepted the resig nation of DCP (Retired) Mohamed Rishwan, Managing Director of Maldives Ports Limited, who had been appointed in February 2025. 

In a separate decision, the board dismissed DCP (Retired) Hussain Didi as Managing Director of Agro National Corporation.

މޯލްޑިވްސް ޕޯޓްސް ލިމިޓެޑް – އެމް.ޕީ.އެލްގެ މެނޭޖިންގ ޑިރެކްޓަރުގެ މަޤާމުންނާއި ބޯޑު މެންބަރުކަމުގެ މަޤާމުން ހ. ހަބަރުގެ، ޑީ.ސީ.ޕީ (ރިޓަޔާރޑް) މުޙައްމަދު ރިޝްވާން، 6 އެޕްރީލް 2026 ގައި އިސްތިއުފާ ދެއްވުމަށް ހުށަހަޅުއްވާފައިވާތީ، އިސްތިއުފާ ޤަބޫލުކޮށް އެމަޤާމުން ވަނީ ވަކިކޮށްފައި— Privatization & Corporatization Board (@pcb_gov) April 6, 2026

The PCB had earlier removed Ahmed Najah from his role as Managing Director and board member of Fenaka Corporation Limited. Najah had been appointed to the position on 23 December 2024.

The government has not provided official reasons for these dismissals.

In addition to the changes in state-owned enterprises, senior diplomatic officials were also removed from their posts. Mohamed Hussain Shareef, Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, and Salma Rasheed, Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Offices in Geneva, were dismissed. Shareef is the son of People’s National Congress (PNC) MP for Central Maafannu, Asma Rasheed, while Salma is her younger sister. 

No official explanation has been issued. However, a leaked audio recording allegedly featuring Asma has circulated, in which she is heard urging individuals not to vote for the PNC or participate in its campaign. Speculation has since linked the decision to dismiss Shareef and Salma to this audio.

Additionally, some media outlets have reported that Asma’s daughter, Aminath Hussain Shareef, who had been serving as a State Minister in the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, have been dismissed from her position as well. 

The boards of several state-owned institutions have made the decision to dismiss several people from leadership positions as well, including the Deputy Managing Director of MWSC, Ibrahim Shahid, and the Deputy Minister for Housing Development Corporation (HDC). Mohamed Asbah Ali Naseer.

The developments follow nationwide elections in which the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) faced a setback, with voters rejecting a proposed constitutional amendment and the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) securing key local council victories. The timing of the changes has drawn attention, as the elections were widely viewed as a measure of public support for the administration.