Jokowi Hopes Panua Pohuwato Airport in Gorontalo Can Boost Local Economy
- Biro Pers Sekretariat Presiden
Gorontalo – Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated Panua Pohuwato Airport in Pohuwato Regency, Gorontalo Province on Monday (April 22). This is to boost regional economy.
The Head of State explained that Indonesia is a large country with 514 regencies and cities, 38 provinces, and 17,000 islands.
Therefore, the country needs adequate infrastructure to support connectivity, education services, health services, and the economy.
"Whether it's ports, roads, or airports. If we don't have them, our country will lose in competition, unable to compete with other countries. Our products won't be able to compete with other countries," President Jokowi remarked on Monday.
Presiden Jokowi Resmikan Bandara Panua Pohuwato, Gorontalo
- Biro Pers Sekretariat Presiden
Therefore, President Jokowi said that the construction of the airport is important for competing with other countries. The aim is to improve the mobility, speed of logistics, and others.
"So that mobility, the speed of people, the speed of logistics can be even better. In the future, it's not the big countries defeating the small ones, but the fast ones defeating the slow ones. We need to be fast," the President said.
President Jokowi also revealed that the construction of Panua Pahuwato Airport did not come at a small cost.
"I felt grateful, Alhamdulillah, that Panua Airport in Pohuwato is completed. The Ministry of Transportation has spent a budget of IDR 437 billion," the Head of State said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi said that Panua Airport is the 25th out of 27 airports built by the government.
According to Minister Sumadi, Panua Airport is very productive for building the local economy considering the distance from Gorontalo is more than 4 hours.
"This airport is used for 2 trips, to Gorontalo and to Palu,"
As information, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono, Minister of Transportation Busi Karya Sumadi, Acting Governor of Gorontalo Ismail Pakaya, Regent of Pohuwato Saipul A. Mbuinga, and Chairman of Pohuwato Regional People's Representative Council Nasir Giasi were accompanied President Jokowi during the inauguration.