Jayapura – Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini supports efforts to accelerate the economic empowerment of the Papuan people with various types of assistance so that the prices of basic needs in the province become more affordable.
Minister of Social Affairs Risma during a visit to GKI (Evangelical Christian Church) Tanah Papua, Jayapura City, Tuesday said the root cause of various expensive basic needs in Papua, one of which is access to transportation.
Therefore, the Ministry of Social Affairs is collaborating with GKI Tanah Papua to stabilize the prices of basic necessities to match the prices on the island of Java.
“Why then do we cooperate with GKI? This is for how the price is at least almost the same as in Java. But, we can’t just give goods, that’s why we also help with means of transportation for transportation,” said Social Minister Risma.
On the same occasion, Social Minister Risma provided assistance in the form of basic necessities, a production house for agricultural and plantation products worth Rp. 188.761 million, as well as two trucks and a pickup truck worth Rp. 1,204 million.
Minister of Social Affairs Risma said that agricultural commodities that are expected to be imported from Mamberamo Raya and Sarmi districts, Papua will be channeled through classical by GKI Tanah Papua.
This empowerment effort is not only aimed at reducing the expenditure of the Papuan people for basic needs, but also to increase their sources of income.
Minister of Social Affairs Risma said that the initial step of the empowerment program had been carried out in Sarmi Regency by planting fruit and vegetable seeds in an intercropping way.
The Minister of Social Affairs said it would help to access these products in the market. “It’s not just a pure market, but how can we maintain the sustainability of the market, that’s what we think. So, we don’t just help empower, but how to access the market,” he said.
If there are products that are sold of poor quality, Social Minister Risma said the public will be directed to open a processing industry.
In the future, buildings will be built for the processing industry of agricultural products that are not selling well so that they become products with high added value.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chair of the GKI Synod, Pdt. Hiskia Rollo, said that his party has 11 service areas in the Papua region, which will support the implementation of the Ministry of Social’s economic empowerment agenda.
Hiskia admitted that he was following in the footsteps of Social Minister Risma to strengthen the economy of the Papuan people, starting from Sarmi Regency.
According to him, what the Minister of Social Affairs has done can bring happiness to the Papuan people by providing various aids to support the economic movement there.
“Earlier in Sarmi I said, when you see a child crying, it is impossible for a mother to let the child cry. He will definitely do it his way, so that his child’s tears will stop automatically. It can only be done by a mother or a mother,” he said.