Ruling party MPs call for resignation of Fisheries Minister

Members of Parliament representing the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have called for the resignation of Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture Zaha Waheed.

The parliamentarians calling for Minister Zaha’s resignation claim that she is incapable of upholding her duties as minister, while debating on a report compiled by the Gavaaidhu Committee of the People’s Majlis.

Numerous MPs present at Saturday’s sitting had criticized the minister, having stated that she does not have the ability to fulfill her responsibilities to the people.

Some lawmakers called on her to resign after accusing her of being negligent in doing her part in compiling protocols to uphold one of the government’s most important pledges, regarding the fisheries sector.

As such, the MPs asserted that they will oust her through an impeachment motion, should she fail to hand in her resignation.

The Gavaaidhu Committee reached the conclusion that Zaha’s duties are unfulfilling after she failed to compile a number of mandatory protocols under the Fisheries Act, within the given deadline under the law, which was 90 days.

Minister Zaha came under fire for failing to compile the set of protocols, even after the deadline passed and she had even failed to turn up at the committee meeting when summoned for questioning.

Some lawmakers, specifically representatives of the main ruling party’s Parliamentary Group, have continuously been calling for the resignation of the cabinet minister, due to her incompetence in maintaining responsibilities, in previous sittings as well.

MDP had submitted three resolutions regarding the fisheries sector and the 19th parliament, comprising of a super majority of ruling party members, have been doing a lot of work to develop the sector. These MPs have criticized the minister for failing to support these efforts as the minister representing the sector.