BPKAD: Debt Of 10 NTB Provincial Government OPDs To Contractors Remaining Rp223 Billion

MATARAM - The Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD) of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) revealed the remaining debt of the provincial government to contractors amounting to Rp223 billion.

"Until today, the total remaining debt is IDR 223 billion to partners. And payments continue, we update every day," said Head of BPKAD NTB Samsul Rizal as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, May 5.

Samsul said the debts were spread across 10 Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD), including the Education and Culture Office, Public Works and Spatial Planning Office, Housing and Settlement Service (Perkim).

Then the Environment and Forestry Service, the Marine and Fisheries Service, the Tourism Office, the Agriculture and Plantation Service (Distanbun), the Animal Husbandry and Health Service, the Trade Office, and the Industry Service as well as the debt of the Road Regulation at the PUPR Service.

"The largest amount of debt remaining is in the three OPDs, namely PUPR, Perkim, and Distanbun. The total debt in all OPD is IDR 223 billion," he explained.

Rizal explained that from the existing debt, the unpaid work came from the Governor's Directorate, Pokir 65 members of DRPD NTB and regular activities.

"The total initial debt of the NTB Provincial Government to partners is IDR 343 billion. As of May 2023, his party has paid around IDR 119 billion," said Rizal.

According to him, if the percentage, of the total existing debt, the progress of payments to date is 34.88 percent. Where the budget for paying the debt has been prepared in the 2023 Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD).

Therefore, his party asks contractors to be patient and not take actions that have the potential to trigger a commotion.

"To my brothers and sisters, I hope you can be patient. While understanding the existing regional financial conditions. We will finish it in stages according to the existing timeline. July 2023, God willing, it will be finished," said Rizal.

However, as the Regional General Treasurer (BUD), Rizal apologized to his partner for the delay in the payment.

"What is clear is that the NTB Provincial Government has no intention of harming partners. We just want to invite all of us to understand that this situation occurs because of disasters that have hit nationally," he said.

Previously, a number of contractors visited the NTB Governor's Hall, Zulkieflimansyah, on Wednesday (3/5) yesterday. They carried out symbolic actions by trying to lock and seal the official car belonging to the Governor of NTB.

The action was carried out because they were furious with the attitude of the NTB Provincial Government which seemed not to provide certainty about the time for paying the project they had been working on.