ICOM orders to disclose presidential residence renovation cost

The Information Commissioner (ICOM) has asked the President’s Office to provide details of the cost of repairs to Muliaage, the official residence of the President.

The renovation of the Muliaage began after President Mohammed Muizzu took office. Before that, he lived in his own house at M.Dhimyath in the capital Male.

Under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, Atoll Times questioned the President's Office last December to find out the cost of the repairs to Muliaage. The President’s Office had not responded, even after the inquiry’s time had been extended. So, the matter was referred to ICOM, and a hearing was held on Thursday.

At the hearing, Information Commissioner Ahid Rasheed said that the information requested by Atoll Times cannot be withheld under the law.

Therefore, at Thursday's hearing, Ahid instructed the President’s Office to provide the information within three days.

The hearing was scheduled three times before but the President's Office did not attend. Therefore, the ICOM hearings kept getting postponed.

The decision was taken on Thursday in the presence of the President's Office as the complaint has been filed for 30 days and the case has to be decided within 30 days under the law.

In December also, Atoll Times had applied to the Ministry of Finance to inquire on the cost of Muliaage renovations. According to information supplied by the ministry last month, MVR 9.4 million was initially allocated for the repairs. However, the President's Office had requested an additional budget.

“Although an additional budget has been requested, the ministry has not yet processed the request and it is pending at the ministry,” the finance ministry said.

The Ministry of Finance als said that it does not know how much money has been spent on the renovation of Muliaage out of the allocated budget.

"Details of this information are believed to be available from the President's Office or the Muliaage”, the ministry added.