Questions regarding number of political appointees should only be raised once ongoing "downsizing" efforts are complete: Shareef
President's Office Chief Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef has stated that the exact number of political appointees will be disclosed without the need for Right to Information (RTI) requests once ongoing efforts to downsize the government are finalized. Noting that state-owned enterprises have already been instructed to reduce staff, Shareef explained that a definitive figure cannot be provided at this time as the total number of political positions is expected to change following the conclusion of current evaluations.
Government Chief Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef. | Raajje MV
Government Chief Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef has stated that inquiries regarding the total number of political appointees should only be made once the government’s ongoing efforts to reduce its workforce are fully completed.
Despite President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s pledge to limit the number of political appointees in his administration to no more than 700, the government has yet to disclose the actual number of political staff currently employed, even as it enters its second year in office.
Despite repeated inquiries from journalists to various government officials, the administration has yet to disclose the figure, offering a series of excuses instead.
During Thursday's press conference, a journalist once again raised the same question.
In response to the question, Shareef stated that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced the commencement of efforts to downsize the government, and that measures are currently being implemented accordingly. He further noted that State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) have already been instructed to reduce their workforce.
Shareef noted that the exact number of employees to be dismissed following the restructuring of the government will be determined once the ongoing evaluation of performance reports is completed.
Shareef stated that any discussion regarding the total number of employees should only take place once the ongoing assessment is finalized. He further assured that these details would be disclosed publicly upon completion, without the need for a Right to Information (RTI) request.
Shareef stated that although the government has provided a figure, it is subject to change tomorrow; therefore, the specific amount should only be disclosed once the government's ongoing work is fully completed.
State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) have already been instructed to significantly reduce their staffing levels, with a target reduction of approximately one-third. Consequently, this will lead to a decrease in the number of political appointees as well as a consolidation of the SOEs themselves. It would be more appropriate to discuss specific figures once this process is complete; providing a definitive number now would be premature, as those figures are expected to decrease by the time they are reported.Chief Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef
Despite repeated inquiries directed at officials across various levels of the government, the question of why the total number of political appointees remains undisclosed continues to go unanswered. There is currently no official willing to provide specific details regarding the headcount or the associated expenditures of these employees. Furthermore, the government has faced significant public criticism for turning a deaf ear to journalists' persistent requests to release these figures.
