Bobby Nasution establishes office on Nias Islands and introduces ‘numerous’ strategic plans to accelerate development
The Governor of North Sumatra, Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution, has fulfilled his promise to establish an office on the Nias Islands and is introducing a number of strategic plans to accelerate the development of the archipelago.
The focus is on strengthening infrastructure, improving the quality of education, healthcare, and tourism, and strengthening logistical resilience.
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This was communicated by Erwin Hotmansah Harahap, head of the North Sumatra Communication and Information Office (Diskominfo), to reporters in Medan.
“The governor is focusing on three crucial sectors to accelerate development: accelerating the construction of roads and bridges, a fair distribution of educational facilities, and strengthening basic healthcare for the island residents,” said Erwin.
In the infrastructure sector, Governor Bobby Nasution confirmed that the reconstruction of the strategic road connecting the South Nias and West Nias regencies along the west coast will start in August 2026. This confirmation followed the governor’s personal inspection of the road’s condition, from the village of Silimbowo Siwalawa in Lolowau District to Sirombu District.
The inspection revealed that the road was severely damaged and hampered public mobility. The first phase of the work focuses on a 2.3-kilometer stretch.
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Furthermore, the governor received input from the community regarding the construction of an irrigation network to irrigate approximately 500 hectares of rice fields. Currently, most irrigation canals are no longer functioning optimally due to a limited water supply.
In Gunungsitoli, the Provincial Government of North Sumatra confirmed that repairs to the bridge deck of the Mo’awo River on the Yos Sudarso Strait will start this year. These repairs are expected to reduce traffic congestion and improve accessibility to the North Nias Regency.
In the education sector, the provincial government of North Sumatra is relocating and rebuilding several leading schools. State Vocational School 1 Gido in the Nias district has been moved to the village of Somi, to a two-hectare site donated by the residents to prevent flooding and to avoid the old location, which was situated near a river mouth.
The first phase of construction of the school for freshwater fishing and agricultural management is expected to be completed in November 2026. The facilities include a practice area, a drilled water well, and scholarships for three excellent students.
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“The provincial government of North Sumatra (Pemprov) has awarded 5 billion rupiah to the government of the Nias district for the completion of the access road to the new location of SMKN 1 Gido,” said Erwin.
The provincial government of North Sumatra is also accelerating the reconstruction of SMAN Unggulan Sukma Nias in Gunungsitoli with a budget of 87 billion rupiah. The project is expected to be completed in December 2026, allowing students to use the new student residences and laboratories starting in January 2027.
In healthcare, the improvement of the Mandrehe Community Health Center in the West Nias district is a priority in the program to expand twenty health centers with admission facilities by 2026.
The community health center, which serves approximately 23,000 residents in twenty villages, will expand its capacity for inpatients from two to ten beds. Furthermore, the facility will be equipped with a delivery room and a 4D ultrasound machine to reduce the community’s dependence on referrals to hospitals located approximately 60 kilometers away.
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“The Provincial Government of North Sumatra is implementing a rotation system for doctors from the Regional General Hospital (RSUD), optimizing the placement of doctors in training in collaboration with the Faculties of Medicine at the University of North Sumatra (USU) and Gadjah Mada University (UGM), and promoting a scholarship program for specialists, specifically for children from the Nias Islands,” said Erwin.
In addition to the development of infrastructure, education, and healthcare, Governor Bobby Nasution has also initiated the construction of a logistics warehouse to guarantee the availability of strategic goods on the Nias Islands. The warehouse is expected to become a distribution center for goods throughout the archipelago.
During his term in office on the Nias Islands, Governor Bobby Nasution also took the time to connect with the community. For example, he attended a group screening of the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain in the town square. ***REL
