President Jokowi Inaugurates 27 Road Sections in East Nusa Tenggara Province

President Jokowi inaugurated the construction and repair of 27 road sections spanning 217 km in East Nusa Tenggara Province, Wednesday (10/02). (Photo: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Muchlis Jr)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated the construction and repair of 27 road sections spanning 217 kilometers in East Nusa Tenggara Province on Tuesday (10/01). The projects are part of the Presidential Instruction on Regional Roads (Instruksi Presiden Jalan Daerah – IJD), which requires a budget of IDR 737 billion. In his speech, the President emphasized the critical role of road infrastructure in improving the mobility of goods and people, as well as expediting shipping.

“Roads are essential infrastructure for the community, facilitating the mobility of goods, people, and accelerating logistics. In East Nusa Tenggara Province, 27 road sections spanning 217 kilometers were built and repaired in 2023 under the IJD program with a budget of IDR 737 billion,” the President remarked.

This road repair is expected to accelerate local economic activities and improve the quality of life for the people. Roads that were severely damaged are now smooth and pothole-free, increasing the accessibility and mobility of the locals.

“We hope that with the substantial funds, all roads in East Nusa Tenggara Province can be repaired, so that the roads can have the condition as we see it here: smooth, no potholes, so the people can benefit from them,” the President added.

The residents of Naioni, one of the areas benefiting from the road development, expressed their gratitude for President Jokowi’s attention to the infrastructure in their region. Keisya, a local resident, shared her joy over the significant changes after the roads were repaired.

“The condition of the roads before renovation was very concerning, but praise the Lord, we are grateful because now, it is smooth, thanks to Mr. Jokowi, who is truly the best,” said Keisya.

Similarly, Yosafat, another resident, revealed that before the renovation, the roads were full of potholes, which hindered daily activities, especially for children on their way to school. However, with the repaired roads, residents can now reach their destinations more quickly.

“Before the renovation, the road was in very bad condition, full of potholes. It was challenging for children to get to school, and vehicles rarely took this way because the road was severely damaged from here to the end,” Yosafat said.

“Now we enjoy good road infrastructure. We can get to work on time, and children can ride motorbikes to school without being late anymore, unlike before when it was very difficult,” Yosafat added.

Meanwhile, another resident named Juminah Lona expressed her gratitude for the development in her village. She also hoped that the footpaths in the area would soon be repaired to ensure smoother access to remote areas.

“We are grateful because Mr. Jokowi has developed our village, so now electricity and roads are all good. We hope that later, the footpaths can also be repaired,” said Juminah.

The road inauguration is part of the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure across Indonesia, especially in remote areas. With these improvements, it is hoped that the prosperity of the residents of East Nusa Tenggara will improve, supported by better road infrastructure that enhances their economic and social activities. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/ABD) (AY/LW)