New office complex will reduce spending on rent; President gives hope of additional complex

The Umar Zahir Office Building, a new government office complex opened in Hulhumale’ on Wednesday, will reduce the government’s spending on rent, states President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The new office complex was developed to reduce spending on rent for multiple government offices on private properties.

Three government ministries are set to be relocated to the new office complex, the Gender Ministry, Higher Education Ministry, and Transport Ministry, as well as the US Embassy.

The new office complex, named in honor of the late Umar Zahir, who was conferred the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin for his public service, was inaugurated by President Solih on Wednesday morning.

Speaking at the inauguration, President Solih said that even as public services expanded, previous administrations failed to assign due importance to developing buildings to house the government offices that provide the services. He said that it resulted in a huge chunk out of the state budget going to rent payments.

“Many of the government’s offices continue to be run out of rented buildings. This is a huge burden on the state budget,” he said.

President Solih said that a government office complex was last built in 2006. He said that despite the expansion of the government’s services since then, no buildings were constructed to house the offices that provide the services.

“The biggest purpose of this building is to solve this issue. I know there’s a need to construct more buildings to house more government offices. We plan on constructing an additional building, In Sha Allah,” he said.

President Solih said the relocation of three government ministries to the new office complex will help save a huge portion of the spending on rent.

He said the new office complex offers a conducive work environment with modern resources, a peaceful space away from the hustle and bustle of the congested Male’ City.

The construction of the MVR 185 million office complex in Hulhumale’ Phase I was contracted to China’s Hunan Construction Engineering Corporation in 2019.

Each floor is 25,000 square feet in size.

Though three of the government’s ministries will be relocated to the new office complex, many of the government’s offices continue to be run out of rented properties.