Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment, Ahmed Mahloof has denied the claim by opposition PPM/PNC coalition leader and former President Abdullah Yameen, that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s government has neglected the youth.

In the “Havaaley Vathan” ceremony held to award the Presidential ticket of the coalition to Yameen, the former president said that the youth had been prioritized during his administration and that his government created 104,000 jobs, whereas the current administration had only created 4,000.

Yameen also said the strength of Maldives lies in its youth.

He said the current government has neglected the youth even though two thirds of the population is comprised of youth.

The ex-president's claim was refuted by Mahloof, who disclosed that the actual number of jobs created in Yameen’s reign was 17,847, saying the figure was taken from the national statistics.

He added that the current government has created 18,634 jobs thus far.

Following it up, he said that this was the "statistical" truth.

President Solih states that the current priorities are to increase participation in the opportunities regardless of gender. This is the biggest strength to the industrial state of Maldives according to President Solih.