Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Aminath Athifa, has said that only eight companies actively initiated housing projects for staff during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration. She said that a total of 16 companies had however signed to offer housing projects for their employees at that time.

However, the Minister has not specified the names of the companies involved in the housing projects.

The Minister had answered questions posed by members of Parliament in today’s sitting regarding the Hulhumale’ Phase II social housing program “Hiya” during former President Yameen’s administration. She said that the initiative to offer housing to staff of various companies had begun in 2017.

Minister Athifa said that the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) had signed several projects with various government-associated organizations and institutions under the “Hiya” project back in 2017. She said that these projects were aimed at providing housing for the staff of these companies.

She further reiterated that many of these companies that signed under these projects were not equipped with the financial or technical capabilities to move forward on their own with housing for its staff. As such, she informed that these companies were to carry out housing project by subcontracting foreign companies or by acquiring loans from foreign banks.

The Minister said that numerous financial issues would have surfaced if the companies had moved forward with the housing projects under this plan.

She said that these plans would have led to the companies having to resort to selling flats to staff for higher prices. She also said that the plan would have resulted in having to conduct pre-sales on these staff flats as well.

Minister Athifa said that as such, only eight out of the 16 companies that signed the housing project has actually begun work.

She informed that the current administration will continue these housing projects under advisement with the Ministry of Economic Development.