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The Local Government Authority (LGA) has directed all local councils across the Maldives to immediately halt recruitment for any position without securing prior written permission from the authority.
News Desk
An LGA meeting with government and parliament representatives - Photo: LGA
MALÉ: The Local Government Authority (LGA) has ordered all island and city councils across the nation to immediately stop hiring employees unless they obtain prior written clearance from the regulatory body.
In an official circular issued to councils, LGA Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Nimal stated that the measure was introduced as a key step under the government’s policy to curb state expenditure. The directive applies to all permanent vacancies, whether newly created positions or existing vacant roles, regardless of whether funding originates from the state budget or the council’s own revenue.
Furthermore, the new mandate covers temporary roles, including contract employment and wage-based staffing required for short-term projects or operational needs. Councils are strictly prohibited from publishing public recruitment announcements for any paid position, including contract, wage, or consultancy roles, before securing written authorization from the LGA.
The hiring restriction took effect immediately upon the issuance of the directive.
In addition to the recruitment freeze, the Local Government Authority recently announced an indefinite postponement of internal elections meant to select local council and Women’s Development Committee (WDC) representatives for its governing board. The oversight body cited incomplete administrative preparations for the delay, pushing back the vote that was set to choose representative leadership from island councils and WDCs nationwide.
This policy shift comes alongside wider legislative reforms by the government aimed at restructuring local administration and managing fiscal costs. Parliament previously passed amendments to the Decentralization Act to abolish atoll councils and transition island councils to a population-based model, reducing overall councilor seats across smaller jurisdictions. In tandem with these seat reductions, the central government has centralized administrative oversight by establishing dedicated LGA offices across atolls, tightening expenditure and operational controls over local bodies.
