REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, GORONTALO -- President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo showed concern over sediment in Lake Limboto in Province of Gorontalo, Sulawesi. The president pointed out that dredging the collected sediment from the lake could cost some 11 trillion IDR.

"This lake needs to be dredged to reduce its sediment content. Also, the water hyacinths that cover the lake can make it shallow," Jokowi said while inspecting the dredging operations in Dehuwalolo village on Saturday.

Noting the critical condition that Lake Limboto is in, the president contacted the public works minister and told him to speed up the dredging process, as well as the construction of the Gorontalo Outer Ring Road in the province.

"After returning to Jakarta, we will immediately calculate the budget required to dredge the sediment from Lake Limboto," Jokowi affirmed.

Accompanied by Trade Minister Rahmat Gobel, Gorontalo Governor Rusli Habibie, and Gorontalo City Mayor David Bobihoe Akib, the president inspected the lake for some 20 minutes. In the morning, he visited the Gorontalo fish market on the sidelines of his working visit to the province.

Earlier, District Head David BobihoeAkib told the president that the lake was in a critical condition and it was feared that it will dry out if no measures are taken.

"I told the president that the lake must be dredged to make it deeper to prevent flooding during the rainy season," Akib stated.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika