STELCO must supply power, ACC must tackle misconduct before embarking on unnecessary partnerships
4 އޯގަސްޓު 2026 | އަންގާރަ 08:20ACC is facing public criticism for partnering with the utility company STELCO instead of resolving its massive backlog of investigations. Critics argue the agency prioritizes theatrical photo-ops over its legal mandate to fight crime. The public demands that the watchdog focus on transparency and finishing pending cases.
ACC and STELCO signed an MoU to collaborate on anti-corruption efforts and the promotion of integrity, in August 2026. | ACC
News that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formally partnered with the State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) to pinpoint ways to avert corrupt practices left many readers rubbing their eyes and reading the announcement twice just to confirm it was not a joke.
What does power generation have to do with fighting crime
As the chief supplier of electricity across the Maldives, STELCO exists for one core duty: keeping the power grid running.
Short of having secretly invented a gadget that magically sniffs out dishonest acts whenever someone flips a light switch, it is completely baffling why a power utility is meddling in anti-corruption initiatives.
A well-funded watchdog inexplicably stuck in park
This raises a glaring question: what is actually stopping ACC from executing the very job it was created to do?
This is hardly a new or under-resourced entity. It boasts a defined legal mandate, full statutory authority, dedicated investigative personnel, a taxpayer-funded budget, and years of institutional backing behind it.
Mounting backlogs and disappearing complaints
It is certainly not suffering from a shortage of work, considering the sheer volume of unresolved files sitting on its desk.
Dragged-out cases drag on indefinitely, leaving victims and complainants completely in the dark regarding any actual movement.
Most people are left to ponder whether their submissions are being genuinely pursued or merely left to accumulate dust in some abandoned cabinet.
Photogenic agreements replacing actual work
However, rather than rolling up its sleeves to resolve these cases, the commission appears perpetually obsessed with signing endless Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) across various state bodies.
These events follow a tired routine of theatrical handshakes, staged photo-ops, and lofty speeches praising cooperative harmony. Meanwhile, it is no exaggeration to state that the agency's primary mission, actually investigating corrupt conduct, has ground to a complete halt.
The only agreement ACC actually needs
If ACC is so desperate to sign a binding contract, it ought to sign one with itself.
That pledge should center on speeding up sluggish investigations, maintaining open channels with citizens who file reports, and routinely broadcasting progress reports to the public regarding ancient, pending cases.
Master the basics before branching out
No sane person denies that preventing financial wrongdoing is essential.
But that fight must start from a capable, uncompromising institution.
Teaming up with a power company to figure out how to stop corrupt acts is an absurd distraction when basic operational duties remain totally neglected.
Total darkness on both fronts
STELCO's sole mandate is to supply electricity to the nation.
ACC's sole mandate is to illuminate public wrongdoing and drag it into the open.
Instead, today's reality features a country plagued by frequent blackouts while its primary anti-corruption watchdog slumbers peacefully in the dark.
