President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has stated that additional dredgers will be utilised this year to speed up the progress of land reclamation under the visionary Ras Male’ project. The President made the remark while addressing the residents of Gulhi, Kaafu Atoll, during his visit to the island on Sunday.
In his remarks, the President declared the current year as the Year of Housing and said the government will seek contractors within this month to implement all planned housing projects in the atolls. Given the pace of project assignment, this year will be the year in which the most housing construction programmes are implemented in a single year, he said.
The President said this will continue in the coming years even in islands where land has been reclaimed and space has been increased. The President further noted that projects in the greater Male' region will also go ahead as announced.
The President added that Rasmale’, located near Gulhi lagoon, is one of the largest housing projects of the administration. He said the project would offer the most comprehensive solution to the issue of housing in one region. He added that the reclamation of Rasmale’ was proceeding as planned, with the project to be expedited in collaboration with other partners. Once completed, the project will yield multiple benefits to the nation and region, he said.
“Additional contractors are being sought to expedite the dredging work. Then, more dredgers can be utilised simultaneously and the dredging can be accelerated two or threefold,” he said.
Addressing the residents of Gulhi, the President said that this year priority and emphasis would be on projects that enhance development and financial well being of the citizens. This should be the core aspiration going ahead, he emphasised.
The President acknowledged that while the previous year had been successful, there were limitations on the success, primarily due to financial constraints of an inherited economy. Despite this, he added that the administration had been successful in consolidating and strengthening the economy.
The President reaffirmed that administration would, in the first two months of the year, seek to honour payments owed for various government agencies, state owned enterprises and other agencies. He said that while he prioritises finding permanent solutions to the well-being of the people and the problems faced by the people, it is also from this perspective that development is also taken care of.
The President said while development so far has primarily focused on infrastructure and tangible progress, his goal is to achieve holistic development which includes ideological, spiritual and infrastructural development.
The President concluded his address by urging everyone to unite and work towards the betterment of society as a whole.