PAPUA – Infrastructure development and improvement of human resources in Papua have produced tangible results, bringing better welfare to the community and the Government continues to encourage various development programs in Bumi Cenderawasih which not only focus on physical aspects, but also on human development as the key to sustainable progress.
Over time, these developments have made it easier for people to access basic services and opened up more economic opportunities in the region nicknamed Little Paradise at the tip of Indonesia.
Acting Papua Regional Secretary Derek Hegemur, said that the Papua Provincial Government continues to strive to improve the quality of Human Resources as part of a long-term strategy to improve the welfare of the Papuan people.
Education is key to this effort because with better education, Papuans can become hardworking, dynamic and productive. Derek emphasized the importance of innovation and creativity in the Human Resources development process, so that people in the region are not only skilled but also able to compete in a modern world dominated by technology and with superior Human Resources, Papua is expected to be able to face global challenges while strengthening the foundation of the local economy.
The Central Government also pays serious attention to the development of Papua. Vice President K.H. Ma’ruf Amin, who also serves as Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Integrated Coordination Team for the Acceleration of Welfare Development in Papua, stated that the acceleration of development in the region is comprehensively designed to provide real benefits for Indigenous Papuans.
In the grand design of accelerating Papua’s development, there are five main policy frameworks, namely:
- Development of superior human resources,
- Economic transformation and development,
- Basic infrastructure development,
- Preservation of environmental quality,
- Good governance.
Vice President Ma’ruf Amin emphasized that the Government will continue these excellent programs to ensure the acceleration of welfare development in the region nicknamed the Little Paradise in Eastern Indonesia goes well.
The main focuses of welfare development in Papua include:
- Poverty reduction,
- Improving the quality of education,
- Improved health services,
- Basic infrastructure development,
- Strengthening small and medium enterprises,
- Improvement of employment,
- Achievement of sustainable development goals.
With a clear policy framework, Papua is projected to become a more prosperous and independent region in the long term and in addition to improving Human Resources, infrastructure in Papua continues to be built to strengthen the economic sector and overcome the fundamental problems that exist in the region, one concrete step is the construction of logistics warehouses in Sinak and Agandugume Districts to overcome hunger and food shortages.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy, said that the Government has prepared strategic measures to support more efficient food distribution to vulnerable areas in Central Papua and Papua Mountains.
The construction of such warehouses will not only reduce distribution costs but will also ensure that people’s basic needs, such as food, can be met sustainably.
The logistics warehouse in Sinak is projected to be able to accommodate up to 100 tons of tubers which are the staple food of the people in the Papua region and to support the smooth distribution of food and logistics, the Government plans to extend the Sinak Airport runway to 800 meters, so that large transport aircraft such as Hercules or CN-235 can land.
In addition, access roads from Sinak to districts such as:
- Agandugume,
- Lambewi,
- Oneri is being built to shorten the travel time from two days and nights on foot to just a few hours.
The move is expected to significantly improve access to food and logistics, so that hunger can be addressed more effectively in hard-to-reach areas.
Muhadjir Effendy mentioned that the infrastructure built is part of a long-term solution to overcome the problem of hunger in Papua and with better access to remote areas, food distribution is no longer a big problem and people in rural areas can live more prosperously.
Infrastructure development also plays an important role in opening up new economic opportunities for the people of Papua. Strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises in the region nicknamed the Little Paradise that Fell to Earth is an important focus in improving the welfare of local communities.
The government is actively providing support in the form of access to capital and assistance to improve the competitiveness of local Papuan products and improving the quality of education and health services is also a priority in the accelerated development program, all of which are directed at creating an independent and competitive society.
Papua is currently not only developing physically with better infrastructure, but also developing in terms of people and local resources and all of this is part of the Government’s commitment to bring a more prosperous Papua.
Infrastructure development coupled with improving the quality of Human Resources will have a long-term impact on the Golden City region, creating a society that is not only more economically prosperous but also able to compete at the National and International levels.