Internal audit reveals RDC hired 449 employees through unofficial headhunt system

An internal audit report has revealed that the state-owned Road Development Corporation (RDC) hired 449 employees through an unofficial 'headhunt' system during a one-year period, without any formal policy or proper procedures in place. The audit, covering the period from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025, found that out of 817 newly recruited employees, 449 were hired via headhunting, accounting for 55% of all new hires. The report noted that the headhunt system was used across all ranks and sectors, not just for technical positions, and that records of employees hired this way were not fully maintained. Specifically, the names of 11 employees reviewed as a sample were not included in the headhunt list provided by the Human Resources Department. The audit recommended that a formal headhunt policy be developed and implemented, restricting its use to special technical or hard-to-fill positions, and requiring prior approval from senior management along with a written justification. It also called for maintaining a registry to monitor the reasons for selection, the authorizing official, and the outcome of each headhunt hire.