Infrastructure Development to Human Resource Development Brings Papua to a More Prosperous Level
By: Ruben Tabuni
Infrastructure development and human resource development (HRD) in Papua have produced real results, bringing better welfare to the community. 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, this development has made it easier for people to access basic services and opened up more economic opportunities in the region nicknamed the Little Heaven at the tip of Indonesia.
Acting Regional Secretary (Pj Sekda) of Papua, Derek Hegemur, said that the Papua Provincial Government (Pemprov) continues to strive to improve the quality of human resources as part of a long-term strategy to improve community welfare.
Education is the main key in this effort, because with better education, Papuan people can become hard workers, dynamic, and productive. Derek emphasized the importance of innovation and creativity in the process of human resource development, so that people in the region are not only skilled but also able to compete in the modern world dominated by technology. 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 (Wapres) KH 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 designed comprehensively to provide real benefits for Indigenous Papuans (OAP).
In the grand design of accelerating Papua’s development, there are five main policy frameworks, namely the development of superior human resources, economic transformation and development, development of basic infrastructure, preservation of environmental quality, and good governance.
Vice President Ma’ruf Amin emphasized that the government will continue these flagship programs to ensure that the acceleration of welfare development in the region nicknamed the Little Heaven in Eastern Indonesia runs well.
The main focuses of welfare development in Papua include poverty alleviation, improving the quality of education, improving health services, developing basic infrastructure, strengthening small and medium enterprises (SMEs), increasing employment, and achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). With a clear policy framework, Papua is projected to become a more prosperous and independent region in the long term.
In addition to improving human resources, infrastructure in Papua continues to be built to strengthen the economic sector and overcome fundamental problems in the region. One concrete step in this regard 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 steps to support more efficient distribution of food supplies to vulnerable areas in Central Papua and Highlands Papua.
The construction of the warehouse 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. To support the smooth distribution of food and logistics, the government plans to extend the runway of Sinak Airport to 800 meters, so that large transport planes such as Hercules or CN-235 can land.
In addition, access roads from Sinak to districts such as Agandugume, Lambewi and Oneri are being built to shorten the travel time from two days and one night on foot to just a few hours.
This step is expected to significantly increase access to food and logistics, so that the problem of hunger can be addressed more effectively in hard-to-reach areas.
Furthermore, Muhadjir Effendy said that the infrastructure built is part of a long-term solution to address the problem of hunger in Papua. With better access to remote areas, food distribution is no longer a major problem, and people in remote areas can live more prosperously.
Infrastructure development also plays a significant role in opening up new economic opportunities for the Papuan people. Strengthening small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the region nicknamed the Little Heaven that Fell to Earth is an important focus in improving the welfare of the local community.
The government actively provides support in the form of capital access and assistance to improve the competitiveness of local Papuan products. Improving the quality of education and health services is also a priority in the development acceleration 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 its human resources and local resources. All of this is part of the government’s commitment to present a more prosperous Papua.
Infrastructure development accompanied by improving the quality of human resources will have a long-term impact on the region nicknamed the Golden City, creating a society that is not only more economically prosperous but also able to compete at the national and international levels.
The government continues to encourage sustainable development in Bumi Cenderawasih, ensuring that every program implemented has a direct impact on community welfare.
With the strategic steps taken, Papua will continue to develop into a more advanced region, with superior human resources and strong infrastructure as the main foundation towards a brighter future.
*) Observer of Papuan and Remote Area Politics – Center for Eastern Indonesian Political Studies
