Home Ministry spends over a million a month on 43 political staff
President Mohammed Muizzu's pledge is to keep the number of political positions at 700.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
A total of 43 people have been appointed to political posts in the Homeland Security and Technology Ministry. The ministry spends MVR 1.27 million per month on their salaries.
This was revealed in the reply sent by the Home Ministry on Thursday following Atoll Times’ inquiries on political positions under the Right to Information Act.
Atoll Times has requested the information of political appointees to the ministry from November 17, 2023 to the 2nd of this month and their salaries.
The ministry has been entrusted with the largest mandate of this government. The ministry also holds the most political positions. The ministry's response shows that:
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MVR 65,000 to Minister Ali Ihsan as salary
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Four have been appointed as state ministers; salary for the post is, MVR 43,500
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17 have been appointed as deputy ministers; salary for the post is MVR 31,500
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13 have been appointed as senior political directors; salary for the post is MVR 25,500
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Seven have been appointed as Political Directors; salary for the post is MVR 20,500
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Personal Assistant to the Minister; salary for the post is MVR 20,500
The total salary of all of these political posts amount to MVR 1.3 million per month. That is, MVR 15.2 million per annum.
President Mohammed Muizzu's pledge is to keep the number of political positions at 700. However, in the present government, there is an increase in high-paying posts such as ministers of state and deputy ministers. This has wrought a lot of criticism from some quarters.
