Fenaka hired employees without job postings, interview stage

The Auditor General's Office stated yesterday that Fenaka Corporation's employee numbers increased by 60 percent from 2020 to 2023, and that employees hired during that period were taken on without the company announcing the jobs, nor were any interviews conducted.

As per the information gathered by the Auditor General's Office from Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, there was a 78 percent increase in permanent and temporary employees from 2020 to 2023 at Fenaka. Records show that there were 3,500 employees in 2020, with that figure increasing to around 7,000 in 2023.

From those figures, there were 2,900 temporary employees who were taken on for island projects.

Audit Office Director General Abdulla Zuhuree gave a presentation on Fenaka employees, stating the amount of employees they hired was not parallel to the rate of operation expansion.

"In 2020, company expenditure was between 23 to 25 percent for revenue gained, employee remuneration and benefits. In 2022 and 2023, company expenditure for employee remuneration and benefits increased, holding between 38 percent and 39 percent," said Zuhuree.

Zuhuree stated that there were major differences in the number of employees for ongoing island operations of the same level. The Fenaka audit showed that if there were two operations of the same level being run on two separate islands, one island would have 15 workers, while the other had 36 workers.

Zuhuree went on to say that they noticed major changes in the way employees were hired from 2021 to 2023. He stated that while people were employed after job postings were publicly announced before 2021, 50 percent of employees had been taken on by the company without job postings being announced in 2023 and 2024.

"We noticed that employees were being hired for permanent positions without them going through any job interviews. 1,300 employees received promotions from 2021 to 2023. Some employees received more than one promotion within a year," said Zuhuree.

The Audit Office stated employees were hired in violation of company regulations and promotions were given without completing performance appraisals.