Issue heats up as Housing Ministry attempts to enter Dharubaaruge

The issue of transfer of Male’ City Council’s employees of Dharubaaruge to Housing Ministry has heated up even more when Housing Ministry attempted to enter Dharubaaruge by changing the locks.

Dharubaaruge was earlier locked up by City Council.

Member of City Council Ibrahim Sujau said today that the locks of some doors of Dharubaaruge had been changed by a group of people who were following orders of Housing Ministry, and noted that this should not be allowed.

“Dharubaaruge is under our supervision, they can’t say that they are following orders of the Ministry and change the locks. So I would say that they have broken into Dharubaaruge,” Sujau said.

He said that discussions were ongoing between the Ministry and Civil Service Commission regarding this issue, and attempting to change the locks before completion of this process cannot be accepted.

“We never said we won’t hand over Dharubaaruge. But they can’t do things like this; they have been given the chance to talk to us,” Sujau said.

Police and members of City Council were present near Dharubaaruge when Sun reporters arrived at the scene. Members of City Council were repeatedly telling the Police that entry into a building under City Council’s supervision, without City Council’s consent, should not be allowed.

Police advised City Council to hold peaceful discussions with the other parties involved to find a solution to the problem.

City Council locked up and ceased all operation in Dharubaaruge following the transfer of the employees of Dharubaaruge to Housing Ministry. Housing Minister Dr Mohamed Muizzu said that Dharubaaruge had been transferred to Housing Ministry according to laws and regulations, and that Finance Ministry had been informed of this.