More than 100.000 houses were built in Aceh & Nias
*total 102.063 houses for Tsunami and Earthquake victims in Aceh dan Nias
Banda Aceh, 31 October 2007- Director of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Executing Agency for Aceh and (BRR) Kuntoro Mangkusubroto announced today that more than 100.000 houses have been built till the end of October 2007 for the victims of Tsunami and earthquake in Aceh and Nias region. “Alhamdulillah, at this end of October 2007 we can finish building the 100.000th house or to be exact 102.063 unit of houses for our families in Aceh and Nias,” Kuntoro said.
From the total of 102.063 houses, 90.610 houses are located in the Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam Province while the rest of 11.453 houses are located in the Nias Islands, West Sumatera Province. Based on the 2005 blue print, the target of housings to be built by BRR was 90.000 houses and then revised to 120.000 houses based on the 2007 action plans.
Furthermore, Kuntoro explained that the agency will fulfill their target in providing housing needs by April 2008, or one year before the end of BRR mandate in Aceh and Nias in April 2009. “The BRR’s Housings development Program will conclude in April 2008. That means after that period, BRR is not going build any more houses,” stated Kuntoro.
Kuntoro adds that this achievement is due to the hard works by all parties involved in rehabilitation and reconstruction in Aceh and Nias. Because of that Kuntoro convey his highest appreciation to all parties including donor foundations, local and international NGOs, Red Cros, Local Government, private sector and other parties. “The highest appreciation belongs to all Aceh and Nias people for their supports that they give all this time for the rehabilitation and reconstruction processes in Aceh and Nias,” said Kuntoro.
Compared with other achievements in rebuilding other disaster areas in the world, the achievement in housing developments in Aceh and Nias is much faster. As comparison, it took four years to rebuild 48.000 houses that were destroyed by typhoon Mitch in Honduras in 1998. While in Bam Iran, it took three years to rebuild 25.000 houses that were destroyed due to the 2003 earthquake.
Despite that, Kuntoro stated there are many problems within housing developments that are still existed, such as houses with sub-standard quality, public facilities that were not built yet or other problems. “We admits that there are still many problems that we found in the field, but for all those problems, we are optimistic it will be solved by the end of housing development period by April 2008,” stated Kuntoro.
Progress and other challenges
Apart from housing sector, till the end of August 2007 a number of achievements in rehabilitation and reconstruction that has been finished are: 1.586km of roads (out of the requirement of 3.000km), 10 units of airports and airstrips have been built (from the total requirements of 11 units) and 822 school and its facilites out of 2.006 units that were required.
A number achievements have in fact goes beyond rehabilitation and reconstruction target such as 515 health facilities from 127 units identified, 63.923 hectares of farming land from the total requirements of 60.000 hectares and 17 sea ports from the total requirements of 14 sea ports.
Kuntoro explained that there are still many challenges that has to be solved in rebuilding Aceh and Nias better from it was before, including solving the investment and economic problems to push for more access for jobs and increasing people’s welfare.
Further Information:
Twk Mirza Keumala
BRR NAD – Nias spokes person
+08126989519
Source: ReliefWeb Website, 31 October 2007