Jokowi Brings Good News: Supports Manado-Bitung Toll Priority Destinations Will Continue To Likupang

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Photo: Doc. Setkab)

JAKARTA - The government continues to facilitate the construction of toll road infrastructure. Apart from connecting one region to another, infrastructure development is also believed to facilitate the flow of logistics and can develop the potentials that exist in the region, including tourism.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) ensured that the Manado-Bitung Toll Road would be connected to Likupang, North Minahasa, North Sulawesi (North Sulawesi). The integration of the Manado-Bitung toll road towards Likupang will be carried out after all infrastructure developments in Likupang are completed.

Likupang is one of the 5 super priority tourism destinations (DPSP). Geographically, Likupang is located in North Minahasa Regency, which is 48 kilometers (Km) from the city of Manado. The integration of the Manado-Bitung toll road to Likupang will facilitate access to these tourist destinations.

"This toll road (Manado-Bitung) will facilitate the delivery of logistics, mobility of goods, mobility of people from Manado to Bitung, Manado to Bitung International Port and later we will direct them to go to Likupang, when Likupang has also finished everything," he said at the inauguration of the Road. Manado-Bitung Toll Road, Friday, February 25.

For your information, infrastructure development in Likupang is indeed the government's focus. In the Plenary Cabinet meeting, Jokowi has ordered that all infrastructure developments for Super Priority Tourism Destinations, including Likupang, be completed before the end of 2023.

Jokowi asks for national road connections to be improved

Previously, Jokowi asked for toll road construction to be followed by improving connections to national roads. This is because the integration between toll roads and national roads will help facilitate the flow of logistics to industrial, agricultural and tourism centers.

According to Jokowi, national roads that are connected between provinces will connect production centers of regions that have great potential for development. In fact, it opens up new business opportunities, especially those around toll roads.

"Everything is going that way. It's not just physical building like this. People will enjoy it, farmers will enjoy it, planters will enjoy those related to tourism. If it's connected, all the main toll roads will be connected to productive areas," he said at the inauguration ceremony. The Binjai-Stabat Toll Road which was broadcast via the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube, Friday, February 4.

Furthermore, Jokowi said that the presence of toll roads is also expected to create new economic points in the vicinity. "I believe that with the progress of this infrastructure, we will be able to develop the potentials that exist in the region. Well, I said earlier on agriculture, tourism, plantations, fisheries and others," he said.

"I entrust this good infrastructure to be used as well as possible to support new businesses, increase job opportunities and improve people's welfare," he said.