Promise of permanent Addu City power failure fix, lacks weight: Azaan

Central-Hithadhoo MP Ahmed Azan on Sunday said the citizens of Addu City were still facing abrupt power cuts with the issue continuing to prolong.

Fenaka Corporation provides electricity across the southernmost city. Since the current government’s ascension, Addu City has experienced regular issues related to electricity with regular blackouts reported as a recurring event. Despite the elapse a year and half, the issue remains unresolved.

Although the utility provider assured permanently fixing the issue before Ramadan began, the problem has continued into the last ten days of the Islamic holy month subsequently attracting intense public criticism.

While expressing concern about delays to resolve the matter, the Central-Hithadhoo MP said Addu City did not receive avail to its predicament.

Azaan further said Fenaka Corporation’s promise for a permanent fix ahead of Ramadan lacked sincerity.

His statement on X came with a retweet of an Addu citizen who shared a post of a message from Fenaka Corporation informing the power-cut schedule for Sunday. In the message Fenaka said parts of Addu City will experience power cuts for one hour owing to a rupture in a valve at the central power station.

The situation has intensified to the point, the city’s mayor, Ali Nizar, recently said the only recourse was a public protest. Earlier on March 6^th, Fenaka Corporation’s Managing Director, Mohamed Najah and Deputy Managing Director, Mohamed Arif visited Addu City to assess the matter up close.

The Fenaka heads were received by an angry mob of the city’s protesters who had gathered at Gan International Airport to voice their frustration. Many of the protesters on site demanded answers regarding the continuing power failure at Addu City. They also inquired about the delays in transporting and commissioning an extra set of generators to solve the issue.

Not long after this protest, Fenaka Corporation transported a 1.8-megawatt backup generator.

Besides Azaan, other lawmakers representing Addu City constituencies have been channeling their frustrations about the matter on various social media platforms. Some of them have also alleged negligence of Fenaka Corporation as well.

South-Hithadhoo MP, Ibrahim Nazil submitted an extraordinary motion to the parliament earlier on March 10^th citing disruption to basic necessities of Addu City citizens. Although all 12 MPs from Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) at the parliament as well as Azaan approved to accept the bill, it was tossed owing to lack of majority votes.