Prabowo: Rp20 billion aid per district in NTT has been disbursed

President Prabowo Subianto has received a report that aid amounting to Rp20 billion for each disaster-affected district in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has been disbursed and received by local governments.

During a coordination meeting on post-earthquake handling at an evacuation post at the 834/Wakanga Mere Territorial Development Battalion headquarters in Tonggurambang Village, Mbay, Nagekeo Regency, NTT, on Wednesday, the President asked the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto about the aid provided to earthquake-affected districts.

“Has the Rp20 billion aid for each affected district arrived?” the President asked, monitored online via the Presidential Secretariat broadcast in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Suharyanto said the aid had been received and had been conveyed to each district head.

“It has arrived. We have also told the regents that the aid must not be used for anything other than disaster management,” Suharyanto said.

On the same occasion, NTT Governor Melki Laka Lena explained that the aid was given to all districts on Flores Island.

In addition, the NTT Provincial Government has also received aid amounting to Rp40 billion, Melki said.

“Mr President, we have received the aid. All districts on Flores Island received Rp20 billion and the province received Rp40 billion,” Melki said.

According to him, the aid has greatly helped local governments strengthen disaster management and meet the needs of evacuees.

Melki also expressed appreciation because East Flores Regency also received aid even though the area was not included in the earthquake-affected regions.

However, East Flores is still facing the impact of the Lewotobi eruption which has been ongoing for approximately two years.

“Because they also received it because they were affected by Lewotobi, Mr President. The Lewotobi eruption has been going on for two years, and I express special thanks because they were not included but still received it,” he said.

In addition to government aid, he said the NTT Provincial Government is mobilising support from the public and businesses to ensure the basic needs of disaster-affected residents continue to be met.

The local government has asked shops and kiosks in affected areas to help provide community needs such as food, drinks, blankets and mattresses. The cost of this assistance will later be borne by the local government.

“The main thing is that no one should be unable to eat or drink or lack blankets or mattresses,” Melki said.