Male' City Mayor Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has asked city councilors to provide assistance to those who wish to apply for the land plots announced from the Greater Male' Area. Mayor Muizzu made the request at an official meeting of the City Council on Wednesday.
At the meeting, Mayor Muizzu asked the councilors to identify underprivileged families and encourage them to take advantage of the housing opportunity opened by the government.
Muizzu said the current council had been working to find a solution to the housing issues faced by Male' residents since day one. He said he had asked the President on the first day since taking office to change the plan to build only a port in Gulheefalhu.
"I conveyed to the President that after issuing land for the port development if the remaining land is dredged, around 200 hectares of land, similar to the size of Hulhumale' Phase I, would become available. I relayed to him that over 30,000 people can be given land from the area," he said.
The mayor said the council would fully cooperate with the government to issue Male residents' land. Further noting that Hulhumale' was within the City Council's jurisdiction, Muizzu said the council should be involved in allocating land from Hulhumale'.
"Since it would be easiest for councilors to identify which constituents are most in need of housing, I asked for that. However, [the government] has not involved the council in any way," the mayor said.
Muizzu added that the city council implored the government to issue land free of charge, similar to how land is issued in the atolls. While the government has changed its mindset that way, the council has done significant work for the people of Male', he said.
The government has now opened applications for 3,000 plots of land and 4,000 flats from Hulhumale'.
