Mayor Nizar: Services in Addu are equal, separation will strain costs

Addu City Mayor Ali Nizar says separating Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, and Feydhoo into independent councils would make it difficult for the islands to sustain themselves financially.

Speaking on SSTV’s Baaru Hathareh programme on Thursday, Nizar said there was no need for a referendum to determine the composition of Addu City Council. He argued that the current council provides services equally across all wards, including Hithadhoo.

“What is not available in one ward cannot be provided in another. All wards are getting equal services,” he said.

Nizar claimed the push for separation is politically motivated and warned that dividing Addu would undermine its unity and development. He alleged that despite President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu stating the government has no stake in the vote, the administration’s intent is to dissolve Addu as a single city.

He also addressed claims that separate councils would receive more aid or grants. Nizar said councils should not rely solely on government block grants, noting that Addu has land and commercial potential to generate revenue independently.

“What happens when we separate is that a council will not get much revenue on its own. It becomes fully dependent on the central government,” he said, adding that land values and economic viability would diminish.

Nizar said Addu’s revenue has grown fivefold, from MVR 8 million to MVR 40 million, in the past four years, and that maintaining a unified city structure allows for shared benefits across all wards.

He criticized the idea of secession as “weak and poor,” saying those advocating for it are making “stupid statements without any argument or logical weight.”

“If separate councils are formed, Hulhudhoo, Meedhoo, and Feydhoo will be isolated,” he said. “If anything is done for any island in Addu, its share includes those three. But if they go their own way, they’ll have to run as very lonely, very separate councils.”

The referendum on whether to form separate councils in Addu will be held on Saturday. While some residents support decentralization, others prefer to remain under a unified city council.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), former Chief Justice Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Didi, and several civil society groups, including Transparency Maldives, Project Environment, Maldives Local Councils Association, and Zero Waste Maldives, have raised concerns about the referendum’s rushed timeline and limited participation.