Reflecting On The Visit To Africa, Jokowi Calls Water Resources Important

President Jokowi when inaugurating the Medan Regional Drinking Water Supply System, Binjai, Deli Serdang in Binjai City, North Sumatra (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo said that the importance of water resources when inaugurating the Regional Medium Drinking Water Supply System (SPAM), Binjai City, North Sumatra.

Especially after he made a four-day work trip to Africa, Jokowi felt that many parties often did not feel the importance of water resources because they never lacked water.

"I can feel the importance of water after yesterday four days in Africa. We often don't feel how important water is because we never feel a lack of water. So, we never feel how important water is," Jokowi was quoted as saying by ANTARA, Friday, August 25.

Jokowi explained that the construction of the Regional Medium SPAM (Medan, Binjai, Deli Serdang) cost Rp948 billion. The SPAM was completed thanks to the cooperation between the central government, provincial government, city government, and the local district government.

This synergy, he added, is important for the sustainability of development.

SPAM Medangi, according to Jokowi, has a capacity of 1,100 liters per second which is a very large ability. Therefore, he asked governors, regents, and mayors whose territory intersects with the Medangan SPAM to build connections to households.

"I ask the governors, regents, mayors to follow up on connection to households, because it involves approximately 88 thousand household channels that can be connected due to the construction of this SPAM, if 'inspired' it can be 440,000 people; very large," he said.

On that occasion, Jokowi also inaugurated the Aek Tano Ponggol Bridge in Samosir Regency, whose construction cost IDR 157 billion.

"This is a span of 294 meters and the main span is 99 meters and the width is 8 meters," said President Jokowi.