Report by Gedhoruveriyaa Advisory Committee goes missing

The Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure has stated that the report of the committee formed to advise President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu under the ‘Gedhoruveriyaa’ Scheme is not available at the ministry.

The Ministry of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure said this during a hearing held on Monday in response to a complaint filed with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICOM) after failing to obtain the report even after submitting a request under the Right to Information Act.

Fahi Union had requested details of the work done by the advisory committee established by the president to advise on proceeding with flat matters under the Gedhoruveriyaa Scheme, the report compiled by the committee, and details of any financial expenditures made to committee members.

In response to the request for details of the Housing Advisory Committee, the housing ministry informed Fahi Union that due to damage to the ministry's server caused by the fire at the building housing the ministry, work was underway to recover information from the server, and that the information would be shared as soon as it was recovered.

After several days passed without the requested information being provided by the housing ministry, the Information Commissioner's Office organized a hearing regarding the matter on Monday.

At Monday's hearing, housing ministry officials said that the committee's expenses were information maintained by the former housing ministry, and that the current housing ministry is a different institution, so information on the committee's expenses is not available at the current ministry.

The Information Commissioner's Office asked why details of those expenses were not available at the ministry that took over the work and mandate of the previous ministry. They also asked what work had been done to recover the information requested by the applicant and when that information could be provided. They also asked if the information was not maintained in any way other than on the server.

In response to said questions, the ministry's legal officer said that when the housing ministry's portfolio changed, details of expenses were not included in that part.

When the Information Commissioner's Office asked where information on expenses incurred by the president's advisory committee could be obtained from, the housing ministry's legal officer said that the ministry's corporate section had said they had not received financial information from the former housing ministry, and it is believed that information would be available at the Ministry of Finance.

Regarding the committee's report, the official said that work to recover information from the server was still not complete and that information had not been saved in any other way.

Fahi Union said at the hearing that even if the housing ministry burned down, a report of a commission established by the president would be available at the President's Office.

Fahi Union said that even if the housing ministry burned down, not everything at the President's Office would burn.

The union noted that even when they met with the president, he had said he had received the committee's report.

Regarding obtaining a copy of the report, the housing ministry’s legal officer further said they would check if there had been any communication between the President's Office and housing ministry on the matter.

The Information Commissioner's Office has given the housing ministry until next Sunday to check with the Ministry of Finance and President's Office if the information is available there.