Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts has voted to advise President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to remove Ali Hashim from his position as Governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA). The decision was passed by a majority of the committee members who attended the meeting.
The recommendation, proposed by Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim, is based on allegations that Hashim has not adequately fulfilled his responsibilities. The Public Accounts Committee gave Governor Hashim three chances to appear before the committee to respond to the no confidence motion against him. However, Hashim declined the requests and submitted a written report.
In his report, Hashim highlighted the efforts of MMA over the past two years to alert the government and stakeholders about the urgent measures needed to safeguard the economy. He emphasised that the current economic challenges and the threat of a crisis stem from the government's disregard for the advice of MMA and a lack of fiscal discipline. He also stressed the need for collective effort to address the crisis.
The committee found that Hashim had not been performing his duties effectively as governor, particularly at a time when the government was raising funds from the domestic market and required effective regulation. They also noted that the MMA had not advised the government since November 17, 2023, on the key objectives outlined in the MMA Act.
A vote was taken among the members of the committee on giving the Governor an additional opportunity to respond in writing however, the majority of the members voted against giving him any further opportunities.