Malé, Maldives — The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Drug Agency (NDA), Hassan Shaheel has resigned from his position stating that he got slandered and threatened by a group of individuals through drug users.
A letter addressed by Shaheel to the Chairman of NDA’s board Abdul Hameed – also submitted to Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services and the President’s Office – stated that although Shaheel was facing multiple challenges during his time as a CEO, he had worked diligently and claimed that he worked without any acts of influence, bias or corruption.
Shaheel revealed that there were individuals with a personal agenda who were using a group of drug abusers to spread false allegations against him on social media. Shaheel also added that he was harassed with death threats on the road as well.
Therefore, Shaheel also expressed his belief that in order to remove him from the post, the perpetrators may go to the extend of harming him as well.
“Even though I have been working as NDA’s CEO for five years, I have never experienced something like this before”, he wrote in the letter. Shaheel mentioned that the recent activities he has met had made him hesitant to continue serving at the same post.
Shaheel had been the NDA’s CEO since September 2014, this was during former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration. Although he was appointed for a three-year period, due to his well performance, his tenure was further extended for three more years.
Shaheel also highlighted that although he had taken back the resignation he submitted on June due to a request of senior officials related to NDA, due to the current situation, he declines to remain further at the CEO position.
