President appoints Finance Minister Hassan Zareer as new LGA president

Finance Minister Hassan Zareer has been appointed as the President of the Local Government Authority (LGA).

The LGA was previously chaired by former Finance Minister Moosa Zameer, who held the position until his resignation. Zareer was appointed Finance Minister following Zameer’s departure from office.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu appointed Zareer, who had been serving as the Commissioner General of Taxation at MIRA, as the new Finance Minister on Monday.

With over two decades of experience, Zareer has a strong background in public finance, taxation, and auditing. Before his ministerial appointment, he served as Commissioner General of Taxation at MIRA, following earlier roles as Chairman of the Bank of Maldives and Director of Finance at Villa Shipping. He previously served as Deputy Commissioner General of Taxation (2010–2019) and held multiple positions within the Ministry of Finance and Treasury. His board experience includes roles with MTDC, STELCO, and MPL.

The government initially had a dedicated local government ministry, but it was abolished during the President’s cabinet reshuffle last April. The finance minister was then designated as the chairman of the authority that regulates councils, a role previously held by the home minister.

The administration has yet to see stability within its ministries as the post of LGA CEO has also changed twice under the current administration, first with the appointment of Dr. Mariyam Zulfa, followed by former Fenaka Managing Director Mohamed Nimal, who currently holds the position.

President Muizzu has repeatedly stated that working closely with councils is a priority for his administration. He has visited all inhabited islands and met with island councils during his travels.