President Rallies Ministries to Rise Stronger Post-Fire Incident

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has called on the staff of three ministries, which were severely affected by a fire on 12 December, to work with renewed hope and vigour despite the loss of invaluable equipment and resources.

The fire, which erupted early Thursday morning, caused extensive damage to the building housing the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development, and the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure. The adjacent ‘Green Building,’ home to the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, also sustained damage. An office of the Malé City Council was located in the affected building.

In the aftermath, services and operations of the affected ministries were suspended. The work and services of the three ministries have since been relocated to the Dharubaaruge convention centre in Malé.

During a visit to Dharubaaruge on Monday, President Dr Muizzu met with the staff of the three ministries, urging them to work with increased energy, determination, and enthusiasm. He inspected the efforts made to relocate and recommence the services of the ministries and met separately with the management and staff.

President Dr Muizzu characterised the fire as a deeply impactful event for all the staff, highlighting the destruction of a significant number of government documents and personal belongings. He underscored the irreplaceable nature of the lost equipment and documents, describing the incident as a deeply impactful event that brought shock to all.

“For a short period, I too oversaw the ministry. It is a place where we all collaborated. I personally witnessed the incident unfold before my eyes, experiencing indescribable emotions. It is where you worked daily. The depth of loss is immeasurable. Despite the unexpected incident, I resolved to bring renewed vigour to overcome this tragedy,” the president said.

He expressed his gratitude to the staff who had worked tirelessly to ensure the continuity of services provided by the ministries. “My wish is for everyone to work as a team, with one aim, with more vigour than before in our service to the public. What was lost in the fire is invaluable. However, if we strive with the aim to overcome this, we will be victorious,” he added.

Regarding a permanent solution, President Dr Muizzu stated that he is considering relocating the services of the three ministries to a government building instead of renting a place. The government has started work on finding a solution, he added.

Citing the challenges faced by approximately 500 staff members working in the same location, President Dr Muizzu announced that the government is actively seeking solutions to ease their situation. Despite a shortage of computers and other equipment, the government is dedicated to finding resolutions, he assured.

Efforts are also underway to build a cafeteria, additional toilets, and a parking area in the Dharubaaruge grounds. President Dr Muizzu also advised the staff to be patient, friendly, and work as a single team.

Authorities are working to see if the servers affected by the fire can be recovered. Even if the servers are not recovered, the government will find a way to recover the lost documents and information through other government ministries and agencies, President Dr Muizzu assured. He also visited the Galholhu Madrasa building to inspect the relocation of documents and equipment belonging to the Malé City Council.