The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has given Jeddah Mayor Dr. Hani Abu Ras 90 days to implement a restructuring system to divest mayors of extraordinary privileges that were used to appoint nine assistants in the Jeddah Mayoralty. Under the directive, seven of those assistants will lose their posts through being transferred to other positions before the end of the grace period. Mayor Abu Ras is being forced to follow a restructuring plan implemented during the tenure of his predecessor Adel Fakeih. Jeddah received an exception to the policy that said mayors could only have an assistant for construction and another for services. The directive to eliminate seven assistants in Jeddah has been issued to bring all the mayoralties at par, officials said. Sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the decision came after other mayors demanded the powers given to Jeddah's mayor. Ministry officials concluded that leaving the exception in place would cause problems and rivalries. Sources said officials in the Jeddah Mayoralty are working to find other positions for the assistants who will lose their jobs.
