Mayor: Addu needs USD 300m loan for ‘total solution’ to issues

Addu City Mayor Ali Nizar says that rather than fixing individual issues, the city needs a total solution to address the many issues facing the southern city, adding that this ‘total solution’ requires a loan of around USD 300 million.

The remarks come amid complaints from residents of Addu over constant interruptions to basic facilities, such as water, electricity, and sanitation.

While the roads of Addu are close to completion, the power cables in the city need to be replaced. Meanwhile, any work on the sanitation network requires digging up the roads.

In an exclusive interview to Sun, Nizar said that Addu requires a ‘total solution’ to these issues.

He said that the solution, however, requires huge spending – a loan of at least USD 300 million.

Nizar said that almost all utility services in Addu requires an upgrade.

The existing electricity network in Addu is 25 years old.

18 generators struggle to produce the 12 megawatts of electricity that the city needs daily.

Meanwhile, the sanitation system in Addu was built in 2010. Nizar said that there haven’t been any major upgrades, in the 14 years since.

The population of Addu has grown over the years, and so has the demand for utility services.

Nizar said that the city needs urgent upgrades to its water and sanitation networks.

The ongoing road development project in Addu will see the development of 100 kilometers of roads.

However, Nizar believes that the development of roads, without fixing the utility issues first, is a huge waste, as fixing the issues would require digging up the roads.

Nizar said that the lack of proper utility services in Addu, the second most populous city outside of Male’, is of huge concern.

He said that it requires heavy spending to fix individual issues, reiterating his assertion that Addu needs an injection of USD 300 million in funding for a ‘total solution.’