Nazim urges merger of independent bodies to cut state costs

Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim said on Thursday that several independent institutions carry out overlapping functions and should be merged to ease pressure on the state budget.

Speaking at the parliamentary committee reviewing next year’s budget, Nazim said that 20 agencies had requested an additional MVR 607 million beyond their allocated amounts.

Nazim said that increasing budgets for these institutions would require reductions elsewhere. He noted that some institutions duplicate each other’s work and cited several examples:

Nazim said each institution requires its own staff for finance, stockkeeping and administrative roles, even when the offices are small. He added that laws require providing a vehicle and driver for the head of each independent institution, further increasing expenses.

He questioned the effectiveness of these bodies. “For example, the National Integrity Commission prepares reports, but there is nothing being done to maintain integrity in positions,” he said.

Nazim suggested merging certain institutions to reduce expenditure. He said the work of the Children’s Ombudsperson could be placed under the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and noted that the Family Protection Authority spends more than the Ministry of Gender on similar programmes.

“The named places are created and maintained. I believe we should merge institutions where possible and use the savings to fund other essential areas,” he said.

Nazim proposed that the Ministry of Finance and political parties hold discussions on restructuring independent institutions to reduce long-term financial strain.

Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (MDP) supported the suggestion, saying many institutions employ large numbers of staff but produce limited outcomes for the public. He said the number of commissioners in some institutions should also be proportionate to population size.

“The commissions were created with expectations, but outcomes have not improved,” Ghafoor said.