The North Sumatra Provincial Government has taken tactical steps to accelerate equitable development in the archipelago by temporarily relocating the working activities of Governor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution to the Nias Islands. The direct presence of the regional head in the field is focused on resolving bottlenecks in several vital sectors, ranging from regional connectivity, quality of education, to accessibility of health services for the local community.
Head of the North Sumatra Communication and Information Office (Diskominfo), Erwin Hotmansah Harahap, explained that the acceleration of development is focused on three crucial sectors. One of the priority projects to be executed immediately is the reconstruction of the strategic route connecting South Nias and West Nias Regencies on the west coast route, which is scheduled to start construction in August 2026 after a direct inspection of the severely damaged road conditions.
Not only land connectivity, but improvements also target infrastructure supporting the agricultural sector and urban transportation. The provincial government is planning to repair the irrigation network watering about 500 hectares of rice fields to boost local food productivity. Meanwhile, in Gunungsitoli City, the repair of the floor of the Mo'awo River Bridge on Yos Sudarso Street is confirmed to start this year to facilitate access to North Nias Regency.
In the education sector, disaster mitigation measures were taken by relocating SMKN 1 Gido to a new flood-free location in Somi Village, on a donated land area of two hectares. Along with allocating an IDR 5 billion grant for the construction of the school access road, the North Sumatra Provincial Government is also accelerating the IDR 87 billion revitalization project for SMAN Unggulan Sukma Nias, which is targeted for completion in December 2026 so that the new dormitories and laboratories can be used at the start of the new academic year.
In the health sector, facility upgrades were carried out by upgrading the status of the Mandrehe Health Center in West Nias to an inpatient health center with a capacity of 10 beds. The addition of delivery room facilities, a 4D ultrasound machine, as well as a specialist doctor rotation program from regional public hospitals (RSUD) and cooperation with leading universities are expected to shorten medical referral distances that have so far troubled residents in remote villages.
