The Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, Adam Shareef Umar, has announced that the development of new Public Works Units will commence in 19 islands across the Maldives.
The announcement was made during an appearance on PSM News’ ‘Raajje Miadhu’ programme, highlighting the administration's commitment to enhancing sustainability and maintenance in all inhabited islands.
The initiative directly fulfills a key pledge by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who had earlier announced plans to establish these units in 19 islands across 15 atolls by mid-2026.
Minister Adam Shareef emphasised that proper upkeep of infrastructure is critical for the nation's long-term sustainability and that strengthening the decentralisation system is a top priority. He noted that considerable progress has already been made in improving municipal services, with the establishment of these new units being a cornerstone of that effort.
Detailing the operational plans, the Minister revealed that the necessary groundwork, including determining staffing needs and resource allocation, is complete.
"The number of people in each unit and the resources required have been determined. We have now asked the Ministry of Finance to provide the resources. We hope to receive the materials within the next two months," he said.
While municipal services remain the core responsibility of individual island councils under the decentralisation framework, these Public Works Units will serve as vital arms of the Ministry, providing crucial technical and operational support.
The expansion will see 19 new units established alongside the existing seven, creating a network of operational hubs throughout the country. This major scaling-up is expected to generate around 500 new jobs, including roles for drivers, administrative personnel, and technical staff. The Ministry will also undertake the training of drivers required for the fleet of vehicles supporting these units.
According to the Ministry, the services provided by these units are in high public demand, and their establishment is expected to bring a substantial positive change as having dedicated, localised teams, the management and execution of infrastructure development, repair, and maintenance projects on the islands are expected to become far more efficient.