Minister Moosa Zameer appointed as President of LGA
Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises Moosa Zameer has been appointed as the President of the Local Government Authority (LGA) board following the transfer of the authority’s oversight to the Ministry of Finance. Under the Decentralization Act, the presidency of the LGA board must be held by the cabinet minister responsible for the mandate of the authority.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s Minister of Finance, Moosa Zameer | President's Office
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday appointed Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises Moosa Zameer as the President of the Local Government Authority (LGA) Board.
This change follows a cabinet reshuffle in which the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works was dissolved, and the responsibilities of the Local Government Authority (LGA) were transferred under the mandate of the Ministry of Finance.
The position of President of the Local Government Authority (LGA) Board was previously held by Adam Shareef Umar, the former Minister of the now-abolished Ministry of Cities. However, the post became vacant following his resignation from the cabinet.
According to Section 60 of the Decentralization Act, the Local Government Authority (LGA) board shall be chaired by the cabinet minister tasked with the oversight of the authority. Furthermore, pursuant to Article 140 of the Constitution and Section 59 of the Decentralization Act, this presidential appointee is the minister responsible for answering to the People’s Majlis on behalf of the LGA.
The Local Government Authority (LGA) board is composed of nine members, including the President and the Chief Executive Officer. While the primary responsibility of the Board President is to chair meetings, the CEO is tasked with managing the authority's day-to-day operations. Both positions are appointed by the President of the Republic. The current administration has also seen changes within the LGA's executive leadership. Mohamed Nimal now serves as the CEO, succeeding Dr. Mariyam Zulfa, who was the first to hold the position under this government.
Despite the dissolution of the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, the Local Government Authority (LGA) has previously stated that the move will not result in any legal vacuum. In previous administrations, the position of LGA President was typically held by the Minister of Home Affairs. However, this administration initially established a dedicated ministry to oversee council affairs before later transferring those responsibilities under the mandate of the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises.
