Parliament directs Fenaka to end recruitment without public job ads
Fenaka has also been instructed to submit a report to Parliament within three months outlining the progress of its rightsizing programme.
The People's Majlis has directed Fenaka Corporation to stop recruiting employees without publicly advertising vacant positions.
The directive was issued on Monday after Parliament adopted a report by the Public Accounts Committee on a special audit examining the state-owned utility company's recruitment, promotions, salaries and allowances. The report was approved with 56 votes in favour.
Following its review of the audit findings, the committee instructed Fenaka to conduct a comprehensive assessment of its operational requirements, employee responsibilities and workload to determine the number of staff required for its operations.
Under the resolution, the company must establish an appropriate workforce structure and refrain from recruiting additional employees unless there is a demonstrated operational need.
Fenaka has also been instructed to submit a report to Parliament within three months outlining the progress of its rightsizing programme.
Parliament further directed the company to:
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Refer matters identified in the audit to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for investigation.
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Submit a report within six months detailing changes in expenditure and revenue following the implementation of the rightsizing programme.
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Amend its human resources regulations to remove provisions allowing recruitment without public job advertisements and submit the revised regulations to the Public Accounts Committee within three months.
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Ensure all recruitment is conducted through interviews and merit-based selection, strengthen its human resources standard operating procedures and submit the revised procedures to Parliament.
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Refer cases involving promotions granted in 2022 and 2023 in breach of company regulations to the Maldives Police Service and the ACC, and provide Parliament with monthly progress reports until the investigations are concluded.
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Take action against individuals responsible for planning and managing the company's in-house projects.
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Recover MVR 2,297,111 in salary and allowance overpayments made to employees involved in in-house projects.
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Request the Auditor General's Office to assess the implementation of previous audit recommendations during future audits of the company.
As part of its rightsizing programme, Fenaka previously introduced a voluntary redundancy scheme under which employees who chose to leave the company received four months' salary.
The company has faced criticism in recent years over recruitment beyond its operational requirements and promotions made outside established procedures. High payroll costs have also contributed to financial pressures, affecting the company's ability to procure equipment required for its operations.
