Governor accelerates economic recovery during post-earthquake emergency response in NTT

The Flores earthquake has not only left deep sorrow and infrastructure damage but has also delivered a tangible shock to our economic stability. The Flores mainland itself is one of the primary drivers of the NTT economy.

“The Flores earthquake has not only left deep sorrow and infrastructure damage, but has also provided a real shock to our economic stability. The Flores mainland itself is one of the main engines of the NTT economy,” said Governor Melki in Kupang on Friday.

This was stated during the VII Regional Economic Discussion Coordination Meeting, held in conjunction with a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on the Post-Flores Earthquake Economic Recovery Strategy in Kupang.

According to him, the disruption of logistics routes, damage to agricultural land, and interrupted market activities have directly impacted the economic supply chain across the entire NTT region.

He explained that NTT’s inflation in August 2026 was recorded at 2.59 per cent year-on-year (yoy), an increase from 2.43 per cent in July 2026, though it remains within the target of 2.5±1 per cent.

Therefore, he hopes that all relevant parties will maintain the smooth distribution of goods and ensure the availability of food commodities so that supply disruptions do not trigger scarcity, price increases, and a decline in public purchasing power.

NTT’s economic growth throughout 2026 is projected to be in the range of 4.94 to 5.54 per cent. However, the Flores earthquake has the potential to pressure several productive sectors that serve as the community’s livelihood.

“If the rehabilitation and reconstruction processes proceed as expected, the NTT economic growth target in the range of 4.9 to 5.1 per cent can still be maintained,” said Melki Laka Lena.

However, he noted that all parties must work together to ensure that the slowdown in productive sectors due to the disaster does not further depress the regional economic growth targets.