Nikson Nababan, Regent Of North Tapanuli, Shares Story Of Building A Village At The SMSI National Working Meeting

North Tapanuli Regent Nikson Nababan received an award from the Chairman of the Indonesian Cyber Media Union (SMSI) Firdaus as a resource person at the SMSI National Working Meeting at The Jayakarta Hotel, Hayam Wuruk Street. (Spc Photo)

JAKARTA - The Regent of North Tapanuli (Taput) Nikson Nababan conveyed his inspiration for the success of his leadership in developing the North Tapanuli Regency. At the National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of the Indonesian Cyber Media Union (SMSI) in Jakarta, not long ago.

His success in fighting for Silangit Airport to become the current international airport has made access from North Tapanuli to the capital city of Jakarta direct and faster. "To go to Jakarta now, you don't have to spend another 10 hours. Thanks to Mr. Jokowi's support, you can go directly from Taput to Jakarta," said Nikson.

It is known since 2016 Silangit Airport has been landed by wide-body aircraft from and to Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport and Soekarno Hatta Airport with various national airlines.

Nikson, who is a former journalist, also explained his commitment to building North Tapanuli from the village. He claimed that his efforts were a change movement to create a prosperous and independent society. "Strong villages are automatically developed cities. To make it happen, the economic cycle of farming communities must go well with the opening of agricultural land and the availability of infrastructure," said Nikson.

North Tapanuli Regent Nikson Nababan Explains Digital Transformation Amid Economic Growth in North Tapanuli Regency at the Second National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of the Indonesian Cyber Media Union (SMSI) which was held at The Jayakarta Hotel, Hayam Wuruk. Street (Spc Photo)

In his first period, Nikson Nababan targeted the agricultural sector as one of the efforts to accelerate rural economic growth. Building villages as centers of accelerated development was continued in his second term of leadership by improving the quality and quantity of roads to expand economic growth, strengthening regional integrity, and interconnection with surrounding development areas. Therefore, the opening of the agricultural center road is one of the main priorities for interconnection access.

Nikson Nababan said that he started his development program in the early period of his leadership in 2014, namely by going directly to villages to invite residents to clear unused land. "Why don't people manage the unused land to be managed as agricultural land. It turns out that the funds are so large because they have to lower heavy equipment," he said.

Initially, there was a plan for a tender to open the road for the agricultural center. After calculating it, it didn't happen because it cost so much and there was no district government money. Finally, in 2015 Nikson purchased 4 units of heavy excavators which were intended to open unused land and access agricultural roads in the village. The following year purchased one unit of bulldozer, one unit of grader, and one unit of mini excavator.

The chairman of SMS Firdaus thanked Nikson Nababan, Regent of North Tapanuli and Budiman Sujatmiko and other speakers after the event. (Spc Photo)

All the heavy equipment works to realize the residents' request to open access roads to agricultural centers. "Heavy equipment belonging to the Taput Regency Government is very helpful for the lives of rural communities in North Tapanuli. The village community has become independent because the unused land that was previously abandoned has now been managed into agricultural land," he explained.

"Village interconnection roads and agricultural roads have been opened. In the past, villagers carried heavy loads on foot, now they are independent because road access can be passed by both wheeled vehicles and cars. Agricultural production has also increased due to the mobility of distribution of agricultural products to the sub-district center. and the district is running smoothly," added Nikson.

Regent Nikson Nababan's aspiration to build North Tapanuli from the outskirts of this village, he admits, is a real manifestation of President Jokowi's aspiration to build Indonesia starting from the village.

Precision Village Data

North Tapanuli Regency also has the concept of Precision Village Data, namely information in the village will become accurate information so that it can be determined. The success of development in the village, as well as determining the accuracy of planning and implementation in village development.

Nikson first mapped the villages in North Tapanuli which would be used as a pilot for the Precision Village Data. In addition, we will also conduct training for the village government so that the Precision Village Data concept can be applied in North Tapanuli. On this occasion, Nikson said that the Village Precision Data program was very important as a reference for developing and preparing programs in the village.

It is known that the Regent of North Tapanuli also received an award for his achievement as a district with a response rate achievement that exceeded the target in the implementation of the Online Population Census in 2020 from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

He then continued that it was hoped that each village would have various strategic data needed in development planning, including data on the village's sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Precision Village Data is a methodological innovation that is not only numerical, but also spatial data. Therefore, precision village data has a high level of accuracy to provide an actual and true picture. "When I first took the lead, in the first year of 2014 I had disbursed Rp60 million for (development) for each village. Finally, in 2015 President Jokowi added village funds with support," said Nikson Nababan, Regent of North Tapanuli.