RDC hired 449 employees without public advertisement: Audit

An internal audit report has revealed that the state-owned Road Development Corporation (RDC) hired 449 employees without any public announcement, effectively granting positions to individuals at the company's discretion.

According to information provided by the company's Human Resources Department (HRD) to the internal audit, 449 out of the 817 new employees hired during the one-year audit period were recruited through a "headhunting" process. This accounts for 55 percent of the total recruitment during that timeframe. The audit report highlighted that while headhunting was the primary method used for hiring, there was no official policy or comprehensive set of procedures established for this practice. Furthermore, this method was applied across all levels and sectors of the company, rather than being restricted to specialized technical positions. The audit also noted that records for headhunted employees were not maintained properly. Specifically, it was discovered that 11 individuals from the audit sample who were hired through headhunting were missing from the official headhunting list provided by the HRD. Detailed information regarding these specific employees has been included in the audit report.

This review was conducted for the period spanning October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. During this timeframe, the company’s human resource policies, procedures, and operational systems were analyzed and evaluated to ensure the accuracy and integrity of HR-related data, and to assess compliance with internal policies, established protocols, and statutory and regulatory requirements.

Amidst growing concerns over administrative irregularities and allegations of hiring personnel for government offices and state-owned enterprises outside of established protocols, the report emphasizes the urgent need to formulate and implement an official headhunting policy. This policy must clearly define the circumstances under which headhunting is permitted, the levels of authorization required, and the documentation that must be maintained. The report recommends that headhunting be strictly limited to specialized technical roles or positions that are difficult to fill through standard recruitment. It further advises that any such hiring decision must be preceded by senior management approval and a written justification outlining the necessity of the move. Furthermore, for monitoring and accountability purposes, the report instructs the maintenance of a comprehensive registry. This record should include the rationale for selecting headhunted employees, references for the authorizing officials, and the final outcomes of the recruitment process.