Hassaan Mohamed appointed Head of ERA

Hassaan Mohamed, former Deputy Minister of Environment, has been appointed as the new head of the Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA), previously known as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). His appointment was announced on Tuesday, just one day after the position's vacancy was made public.

The ERA, in a social media post, officially welcomed Hassaan Mohamed, stating, “With his leadership and vision, we look forward to strengthening our efforts in environmental protection and sustainable development.”

The EPA, formerly an independent agency, was formally renamed the ERA on August 12. The ERA subsequently announced the vacancy for its head on Sunday, with a deadline for applications set for 14:00 on August 26.

The position offers a basic monthly salary of MVR 20,500, supplemented by a living allowance of MVR 15,000, bringing the total monthly remuneration to MVR 35,500.

Hassaan Mohamed's previous roles include Deputy Minister of the Environment Ministry and a lecturer at the National University. He holds an engineering degree from the University of Queensland, Australia, and has also studied at the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands.

Prior to its transition to the ERA, the agency was led by a director, a position previously held by Ibrahim Naeem.

The recent changes to the EPA have drawn concerns from environmentalists and some former leaders and ministers.