Transparency Maldives (TM), the national chapter of Transparency International, has expressed concern over the awarding of projects exceeding MVR 1 billion since the commencement of the presidential election campaign.
In a statement, Transparency Maldives said it observed the utilization of state resources and government-owned company assets in the campaign. Since the official launch of the presidential election campaign on August 10, two government-owned companies have been 14 projects valued over MVR 1 billion, contrasting with five projects amounting to MVR 261 million awarded by the Planning Ministry in the corresponding period last year, the organization noted.
Transparency Maldives noted that from August 10 to 19, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih marked the completion or start of 32 projects in 16 different islands. These include projects completed in 2021 and 2022. The organization said it was difficult to distinguish between the President's official responsibilities and his campaign activities.
