Diyala provincial council elects two district directors

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Diyala’s provincial council elected Jawdat Kadem Hassan as director of the Jubaynah al-Jawl subdistrict and Abdulmuhsin Sa’dun al-Rubai as director of the Abu Sa’id subdistrict during a Sunday vote, according to the council. Council deputy head Salim al-Tamimi said the priority was to identify officials capable of improving administrative performance. The council also said local government institutions needed to be staffed with people able to assume responsibility. Al-Rubai, the newly appointed Abu Sa’id director, is the brother of council member Farkad al-Rubai. The Abu Sa’id director’s post had been run by an acting official for more than six years following the killing of the previous director, Harith al-Rubai. The provincial council said the appointments were intended to regularize the functioning of local administration in subdistricts that had been led by acting officials.