Gorontalo Residents Protest Work On Water Channels Closing Several Roads, PUPR Service Apologizes After Meeting Ombudsman

The Head of the RI Ombudsman Representative for the Gorontalo Province, Alim S Niode with the Assistant for Examination and Completion of Reports, Azhary Fardiansyah (Via ANTARA)

GORONTALO - The Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) Representative of the Province of Gorontalo followed up on public complaints regarding the impact of closing a number of roads in Gorontalo City due to waterway repair work.

The Head of the Gorontalo Provincial Ombudsman Representative, Alim S Niode, said his party invited the Gorontalo City Government in this case the PUPR Service for direct clarification regarding this matter.

According to Alim S. Niode, several complaints that came to the Ombudsman were miscommunication between workers in the field and road users regarding the road closure.

"This has the potential to cause maladministration of road users and misunderstandings between the community and project workers," he said in Gorontalo, quoted from Antara, Thursday, April 28.

According to Alim, the thing that is in the spotlight is the arrangement of opening and closing roads that are not well coordinated and communicated.

"In essence, good regulation and communication between the provider and the road user community so that they both understand each other," said Alim.

In the meeting, the Public Works Department was represented by the Head of Highways, Antum Abdullah, who came directly to the Ombudsman Office for the Gorontalo Province and was received directly by the Head of Representative Alim S. Niode together with the Assistant for Examination and Completion of Reports, Azhary Fardiansyah.

On that occasion, the PUPR Service apologized for the lack of good communication and coordination with the parties related to the work and the impact of the waterway repair work, both on the Panjaitan road and on the 23 January road in Gorontalo City.

The PPK PU which is the controller of this work will evaluate service providers and implementers in the field so that in the future they can carry out their duties and work properly, including aspects of public services so that they are not disturbed.

During the meeting, the PUPR Service also promised to install banners as reminders or notifications regarding the use of road services, as well as to place competent supervisors in the work, so that traffic access becomes smoother and is not hampered by the work being carried out.