Gorontalo Provincial Government expedites processing of priority WPR block documents
Ministerial Decree No. 71 of 2026 has designated 97 People’s Mining Areas (WPR) blocks, including 10 with complete documentation.
Gorontalo - The Gorontalo Provincial Government is accelerating the processing of priority WPR block documents following the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources’ (ESDM) designation of 97 WPR blocks.
Wardoyo, Head of the Mineral and Coal Section at the Gorontalo Provincial Labour, Energy, Mineral Resources, and Transmigration Office, stated on Friday that the acceleration is to support local miners in obtaining People’s Mining Permits (IPR).
“Following instructions from Governor Gusnar Ismail, we have formed a mining acceleration team to expedite documentation for priority blocks,” Wardoyo said at a press conference at the Provincial Labour, Energy, Mineral Resources, and Transmigration Office.
He explained that Gorontalo initially received 63 WPR blocks in 2022, which increased to 97 in 2026.
However, only 10 blocks in Pohuwato Regency have met all administrative requirements, including WPR management documents, official approval of WPR documents, and reclamation and post-mining documents, enabling them to proceed with IPR applications.
“The IPR issued for the Cahaya Sinergi Dengilo Producer Cooperative stems from 2022. The documents were prepared by ESDM in 2024, approved in 2025, and we have since completed the reclamation and post-mining documentation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the remaining 87 blocks are still in the documentation process due to regulatory changes regarding WPR management authority.
According to Wardoyo, under the latest regulations, provincial governments now have the authority to prepare WPR management documents before ESDM approval, including reclamation and post-mining documentation.
“Ministerial Decree No. 71 of 2026 designates 97 WPR blocks, including 10 with complete documentation. This means the provincial government still has work to do in preparing WPR management and reclamation documents,” he said.
The provincial government is prioritising documentation processing in areas with the highest number of miners and potential for imminent IPR applications.
Wardoyo added that drafting documentation for a single block is estimated to take at least three months due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders.
In 2026, the provincial government will prioritise reclamation and post-mining documentation for 14 WPR blocks: 11 in Bone Bolango Regency, two in Gorontalo Regency, and one in North Gorontalo Regency.