President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih conferred the National Award for Public Service on 148 public servants on Saturday. The awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Maldives Centre for Social Education (MCSE).

The President introduced the National Award for Public Service to recognise individuals who have served the nation for over 35 years and contributed to the development of their respective fields. These individuals are considered diligent and steadfast employees.

In addition to the nominated individuals, the President recognised and presented the National Award for Public Service to those who have served the state for over 45 years but have yet to receive the honour. 48 of the 148 award recipients were identified from records collected by the President’s Office and submitted to the National Awards Committee.

Among the award recipients are three individuals who have served the state for over 50 years. These include Ms Aminath Waheedha, Director of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) Blood Bank, for her service of over 52 years; Mr Ahmed Rasheed, former Chief Magistrate of Raa Atoll, who has served for over 51 years; and Lt. (Retd.) Ahmed Manik, a retired serviceman of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), for his service of over 50 years.

The award was presented to 65 individuals from various islands for their long service. The National Awards Committee selected the recipients, of whom 24 were women. The recipients included civil servants who had served in various capacities in government offices and institutions.

Ms Aneesa Ahmed, recipient of the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin (ODRI) and chairperson of the committee, addressed the gathering. Ms Mariyam Mohamed Sameer, a clinical nurse at IGMH, spoke on behalf of the recipients at the ceremony.