Minister: No budget to start mini-bus service in Male’

Transport Minister Aishath Nahula states that the Transport Ministry still has not received enough budged to start mini-bus services in Male’ City.

Mini-bus services in the capital was one of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s pledges for the first 100 days of his administration.

The Transport Minister has previously also cited the reason for the delay in mini-bus services in Male’ to lack of budget.

Nahula, who attended that Parliament on Monday morning, was asked by MDP chairperson, West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef regarding the date on which mini-bus services would be launched.

Nahula responded that mini-bus services was the only pledge the Transport Ministry had yet to deliver.

“I want to note that this is the only task assigned to the Transport Ministry, among the president’s pledges, which has yet to be delivered,” she said.

Nahula said that the Transport Ministry has engaged in multiple efforts to start mini-bus services, but it remains delayed due to lack of budget.

“As you are aware, even if we are appointed ministers, we cannot work, we cannot fulfill our responsibilities, until we receive a budget for the work. I want to note that it remains delayed due to lack of budget as of yet,” she said.

Nahula said that the MVR 16.9 million allocated in the 2022 budget for mini-bus services is insufficient to start the services.

“I believe we cannot procure four or five buses and start the service with this budget. So we cannot get the budget unless in bits and pieces,” she said.

Nahula said that the Transport Ministry has also sought assistance from the Foreign Ministry to secure funding from an international organization for the project.

No progress has been made yet, she said.

Nahula said that the project would start as soon as the Transport Ministry received sufficient budget.