The Government Oversight Committee of the People’s Majlis has passed the report to approve Mohamed Aslam as the Minister of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.

According to the report finalizing this decision, the Government Oversight Committee revealed that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s appointment of Aslam to the post on June 14, has been approved by the committee during a meeting held on June 17, unanimously by members present.

The decision was made under Article 129 (d) of the Maldives Constitution, which states that “the President shall submit to the People’s Majlis, within seven days of making appointments to the Cabinet the names of the appointees to the Cabinet for approval of the People’s Majlis.”

The committee has also completed the review into the case regarding the allocation of areas of responsibility of the ministry and renaming it to the “Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure”.

Aslam’s appointment was followed by the decision to dissolve the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and shift its responsibilities under the Ministry of National Planning and Infrastructure, in turn merging both ministries and establishing the Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.

Under the decision, employees at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has since been moved to other ministries.

This decision came after the resignation of the former Housing Minister, Aminath Athifa who cited health issues as a reason for her resignation.

Athifa provided valuable services to the state, for a long period of time before her resignation.

The current minister served as the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure during the tenure of current Parliament Speaker and Former President Mohamed Nasheed as well.

He was already a serving Cabinet Member, as the Minister of National Planning and Infrastructure before the government was reorganized on June 11.