Three Ministers Visit Tanah Gayo in a Week to Accelerate Post-Disaster Recovery
The central government is accelerating rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts following a disaster in the Tanah Gayo region of Aceh. In the space of a week, three ministers visited the area to ensure the swift recovery of infrastructure, stimulate the local economy, and strengthen the agricultural sector. Tanah Gayo, a highland region encompassing the districts of Bener Meriah, Aceh Tengah, and Gayo Lues, is renowned as a producer of world-famous Gayo coffee.
The series of visits began on 7 July 2026, when Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian, who also chairs the Task Force for the Acceleration of Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sumatra, visited Bener Meriah. He led a dialogue with local government and community members to formulate solutions for handling the Enang-Enang area, focusing on ensuring the rehabilitation process proceeds quickly without compromising safety.
This coordination was immediately followed up the next day, 8 July 2026, with a visit from Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo. He inspected the condition of the Enang-Enang Bridge and confirmed the government’s plan to reinforce the structure so it can remain in limited use during the transition period. “Our task is to provide maximum support, so that the work already done by the community is not in vain,” Dody stated. The Public Works Ministry is also accelerating the widening of Werlah Road as an alternative route and preparing for the construction of a new permanent bridge to ensure long-term connectivity.
On 14 July 2026, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman visited Bener Meriah to support the recovery of the local economy. The government provided 10.2 million coffee seedlings to the districts of Bener Meriah, Aceh Tengah, and Gayo Lues, along with coconut and cocoa seedlings, to accelerate the recovery of the agricultural sector and improve farmer welfare. “We are building Aceh, making farmers prosperous through the globally renowned Gayo coffee. We will push for increased exports,” Amran said. Home Minister Tito Karnavian emphasised that the back-to-back ministerial visits demonstrate the central government’s serious and integrated commitment to ensuring all aspects of recovery, from infrastructure to the economy, proceed simultaneously.