Staff at the Social Health Authority (SHA) have expressed anger and frustration following the controversial appointment of Dr. Kandie as Deputy Director, Claims Management (Vacancy No. SHA/140/2025), a move that bypassed the advertised competitive recruitment process. Staff at the Social Health Authority raise alarm over the controversial appointment of Dr Kandie as Deputy Director of Claims Management, bypassing competitive recruitment and sparking questions of legality and transparency.
Internal documents reveal that the position attracted 54 applicants, none of whom were shortlisted for interviews, yet Dr. Kandie was subsequently appointed to the role.
The official recruitment records show “0 shortlisted” and “54 not shortlisted,” indicating that no candidate met the minimum qualification threshold to proceed. Dr. Kandie did not apply for the position, nor was he interviewed, raising serious questions about the legality and transparency of the appointment.
Staff have described the process as a blatant violation of fair recruitment procedures and a potential breach of the Public Service Commission Act, warning that it could be subject to disciplinary or legal review.
The unrest among SHA staff has been compounded by reports that Dr. Kandie, upon assuming office, requested office cars, a private office with a toilet, and other entitlements above his job group, suggesting that the appointment may have been influenced by connections rather than merit.
The SHA, which officially replaced the previous health insurance framework on October 1, 2024, under the Social Health Insurance Act (2023), has faced challenges in implementation and financing.
However, this latest recruitment controversy has intensified staff dissatisfaction and public scrutiny of the authority’s governance.
Below is what a source within the authority shared with this publication. "Hi Cyprian. Received this from a staff member in the Social Health Authority and there is no publication. You may run it. There is an outcry among the staff of the Social Health Authority over the controversial appointment of a senior official that appears to have bypassed the official recruitment process. Internal documents indicate that the position of Deputy Director of Claims Management Vacancy No SHA1402025 attracted fifty four applicants, none of whom were shortlisted for interviews. The records show zero shortlisted and fifty four not shortlisted, indicating that no applicant met the qualification threshold to proceed to the interview stage. Despite this, a subsequent appointment list released by the Social Health Authority lists Dr Kandie as the newly appointed Deputy Director of Claims Management for the position with no shortlisted candidates. This appointment constitutes a violation of fair recruitment procedures and may suggest backdoor hiring or political interference. Appointing an official without shortlisting or conducting interviews is an irregularity that violates the Public Service Commission Act and may be subject to disciplinary or legal review. Dr Kandie did not apply for this position and was neither shortlisted nor interviewed. For this position there was no competitive recruitment as indicated in the appointment notice issued by the Chairman of the Board. Reports from staff indicate that Dr Kandie has since assumed the position and requested office cars, a private office with a toilet, and other entitlements above the standard provisions for the job group, which has generated further discontent among employees. Staff members have called for intervention to address this matter." View document View document