"This model will also be applied for elementary, middle school, high school and vocational high school buildings. The sites will be cleaned up and rebuilt immediately, especially the public facilities," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said after officiating the ground breaking ceremony of the Al Taqarrub mosques construction in the Trienggadeng village, Pidie Jaya sub-district, on Thursday noon.
The president further stated that the construction is expected to finish before Ramadhan (the Islamic fasting month), 2018.
Additionally, the president also called for immediate release of funds to help support the construction of heavily damaged residential buildings.
As of now, the stimulant funds intended for the construction of mildly and moderately damaged houses were awaiting the approval of Acehs Governor.
Through the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the government is to dispense 40 million rupiahs worth of stimulant fund for severely damaged houses and 20 million for mildly damaged ones.
President Jokowi also expressed the need to formulate a mechanism for distributing aid after verifying the extent of damage.
"I have ordered that all the damaged sites be fully cleaned up by next week, and construction should start immediately after that, especially in case of schools," he revealed.
The president also asked the Agency to coordinate aid distribution on the ground, including logistics and food aid as well as construction.
The president also visited a disaster post in Istiqomah mosque in the Meureudu region.
He also visited Peulandok Tunong elementary school building as well as a number of houses that had been damaged by the earthquake in the Trienggandeng area.
Jokowi visited Aceh following his diplomatic trip to India and Iran to inspect clearance and reconstruction progress in the areas affected by an earthquake that shook the province on Wednesday, December 7. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
