Palu, Central Sulawesi (ANTARA) - An official of Central Sulawesi Province confirmed that reconstruction efforts for victims of the 2018 earthquake and tsunami disaster in Palu City, Donggala District, and Sigi District were currently being accelerated.
"The completion of 2018 earthquake disaster recovery efforts is our priority," Central Sulawesi Governor Rusdy Mastura stated in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Thursday.
The decision to allocate Rp61 billion (US$4.27 million) from the 2021 regional budget for disaster response demonstrates the provincial authority's commitment to accelerating rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts for the earthquake victims, he affirmed.
"Through the amended regional budget in 2021, the Central Sulawesi provincial authority has allocated Rp61 billion to expedite rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in disaster-affected regions in Palu, Sigi, and Donggala," Mastura noted.
The provincial authority has also negotiated with the central government to extend Presidential Instruction No. 10 of 2018 that regulates post-earthquake and tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Central Sulawesi.
According to the governor's expert staff, M. Ridha Saleh, the expiration of the presidential instruction has hindered the regional authorities' efforts to expedite rehabilitation and reconstruction for earthquake victims.
"The presidential instruction provides a legal basis to expedite the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts," Saleh noted.
He opined that extending the presidential instruction is crucial to ensure residents affected by the disaster will avail their rights.
"The provincial authority also referred to the presidential instruction to fulfil the rights of residents affected by the disaster, including the provision of permanent dwellings," the expert staff remarked.
Saleh confirmed that Governor Mastura had appealed to the central government to extend the presidential instruction.
"The governor has proposed to the central government to extend the presidential instruction, and I had accompanied the governor during the process. He had also met the minister of state secretariat and attended meetings with presidential staffs to deliberate on the presidential instruction," he noted.
