Wednesday, 10 June 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM – Medan Mayor Rico Waas has conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the city's priority programs, which form a key part of the campaign commitments he pledged alongside the Deputy Mayor.
The review took place during a coordination meeting held on Monday, June 8, 2026, at Meeting Room III of Medan City Hall. The meeting was attended by Medan Regional Secretary Wiriya Alrahman, Head of the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) Ferry Ichsan, heads of regional government agencies (OPD), and district chiefs across the city.Rico Waas emphasized that the evaluation is a crucial step to ensure that every program promised to residents is implemented effectively and delivers tangible benefits to the community.
"This is part of realizing the vision and mission of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The commitments we made to the people must be fulfilled. Therefore, we are using the first year of our administration to thoroughly review all programs," he said.According to him, a government's vision and mission should not remain limited to planning documents or political promises but must be translated into concrete actions that citizens can directly experience.
Among the ongoing programs are financial assistance schemes for students attending Madrasah Ibtidaiyah and Madrasah Tsanawiyah schools, as well as Tahfiz students. The city is also providing educational support for low-income families, affordable staple food programs, the PKH Medan Makmur social assistance initiative, and welfare support for people with disabilities and senior citizens.
Additional services have been established to assist victims of violence against women and children. The city administration also offers medical assistance for crime victims who are not covered by the national health insurance program, BPJS Kesehatan.Beyond social welfare programs, the administration has introduced free public exercise and fitness activities to promote preventive healthcare. Various skills-development programs for women from underprivileged families are also being carried out to strengthen economic independence and improve household incomes.
One of the key priorities is the expansion of ambulance services. He noted that the system requires additional vehicles as well as improvements in service management and coordination mechanisms.
Rather than relying solely on new municipal ambulances, Rico suggested integrating the many privately operated ambulance services available in Medan into the city's public healthcare support network.The expansion of the city's CCTV network and the installation of additional public street lighting (PJU) also remain major priorities.
According to the mayor, both initiatives are essential for strengthening public safety and improving residents' sense of security. While infrastructure projects naturally require time, he urged relevant agencies to develop more effective implementation strategies to accelerate progress."We understand that building these networks takes time. However, significant progress must be achieved next year. I expect more effective and efficient solutions so that CCTV installation and street lighting projects can move forward more quickly," he said.
Rico Waas revealed that implementation progress remains well below target and called on relevant agencies to prioritize the project more aggressively.
He stressed that improving residential access roads directly affects mobility, public convenience, and the overall quality of life for residents."The rehabilitation of 10,000 alleys remains far below the 50 percent mark. This is a large-scale project with substantial costs, but it must be accelerated because it addresses one of the community's most fundamental needs," he said.
The mayor also highlighted concerns regarding several damaged roads in northern Medan that fall under the authority of the North Sumatra Provincial Government. He noted that complaints from residents continue to emerge and called for stronger coordination with provincial authorities to expedite repairs."I do not like ABS culture. I do not want polished figures presented to me. It is better to openly acknowledge reality, even when it is uncomfortable. Only then can we make improvements," he said.
According to Rico, transparency is essential for effective governance and improved public services. He emphasized that the evaluation process should not become a routine bureaucratic exercise but rather serve as a tool to ensure that campaign promises are genuinely fulfilled.The mayor also highlighted job creation as a strategic priority. Although the city has already achieved its target of generating 10,000 new jobs, he urged officials not to become complacent.
Instead, he encouraged the administration to continue setting ambitious annual employment targets to support economic growth and absorb more workers into the labor market."If possible, we should create 10,000 new jobs every year. It is a major challenge, but we must be bold enough to aim higher. Creativity in developing new employment opportunities must be visible," he said.
Concluding the meeting, Rico Waas underscored the importance of reliable data in policy planning and evaluation."I do not want data to serve merely as decoration in reports. I want every program to succeed and provide real benefits to the people of Medan," he concluded. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Teguh Panjaitan | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
