LGA to oversee atolls following council dissolution

The Local Government Authority (LGA) on Wednesday said there will be no legal gap in the administration of atolls following recent amendments to the Decentralisation Act.

The amendments state that once the current term of Atoll Councils ends next month, the administration of atolls will be transferred to the LGA.

Atoll Councils were not elected in the recent local council elections. This followed amendments passed by the People’s Majlis and ratified by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, which dissolved the councils.

Public discussion on atoll administration increased after the government dissolved the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works as part of changes to the cabinet structure.

Under the amended law, the LGA has been assigned responsibility for the administration of atolls. These include providing input to relevant authorities during the planning of development projects, coordinating with national agencies and local councils, conducting research on development opportunities, and addressing issues faced by councils in delivering services.

The amendments also provide for the establishment of LGA offices within administrative divisions. The law states that the Authority may set up offices in designated capitals of each division and determine their structure and responsibilities.

All assets and resources of the former Atoll Councils will be transferred to the LGA. Funds held by the councils will be distributed among island councils within each atoll, based on procedures set by the Ministry of Finance.

In its statement, the LGA said the legal framework provides for the transfer of responsibilities and assets and enables the establishment of offices, ensuring continuity in administration.

“The Authority does not believe the dissolution of the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works will result in any legal impediment or vacuum in the decentralised administration of divisions as prescribed by the Constitution and the Decentralisation Act,” the statement said.

Following the dissolution of the ministry, responsibilities related to local government and decentralisation policies have been assigned to the Ministry of Finance, while public works functions have been transferred to the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development.

Minister of Finance Moosa Zameer will serve as the government’s representative on the LGA Board. Under the law, the cabinet minister on the board also serves as President of the LGA.