NIAS. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has instructed local administrations in Nias regency, North Sumatra, to focus on their two sectors with the most potential, tourism and fisheries, while the central government supplies more power to spur economic growth in the region.

During a visit to Nias on Friday, Jokowi said the local administrations must ensure security in the regions, as well as be open to new investments in the two sectors. He called for immediate development of supporting facilities, such as cold storage.

"There are two huge potentials here: first, tourism; second, fisheries. We should focus on them," the President said in front of local government, community and traditional leaders in the Nias regency hall on Friday.

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He reiterated the government’s commitment to solve electricity problems in the region, which is short 23 megawatts (MW) of its current power demand of 50 MW. Jokowi promised to add 25 MW of power to the existing installed capacity of 27 MW. "It will be completed in October," he said.

To further support tourism in the region, Jokowi promised to increase the electricity capacity by an addictional 25 MW by the end of 2017, making the total power supply in the region 77 MW. The power enhancement will come from the Idanaoi gas-fueled plant. (Ayomi Amindoni)