By: Samuel Wanimbo
Accelerating the development of Papua has become one of the priority agendas of President Jokowi’s government in his two terms of government. This certainly needs to be appreciated by all parties because the policy was taken to ensure that development in this region not only runs according to plan but is also sustainable and oriented towards the needs of the local community.
President Jokowi has great concern for the development of Papua. One of them is through the Papua Youth Creative Hub (PYCH) program initiated by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) as a result of the translation of President Jokowi’s order to equalize development and empower the younger generation, especially in the Papua region. In addition, there is also a safari conducted by the Acting Mayor of Jayapura, Christian Sohilait, to a number of sub-districts and villages. Through this step, the government not only monitors the progress of development, but also absorbs aspirations from the community and public servants such as health workers and teachers.
This step is a real manifestation of development based on local aspirations, where the voice of the community is the main guideline in formulating development policies.
In this context, Sohilait emphasized the importance of directly monitoring the progress of development programs in various regions. As he expressed during a safari to Trikora and Angkasapura Sub-districts, development in the two sub-districts has reached 70 percent. This shows that Papua is on the right track towards accelerating development.
However, what is interesting about this step is not only the results of physical development, but also how the local government responds to the challenges faced by the community. In the safari, in addition to ensuring the progress of development, Sohilait also invited employees to remain focused on public service, including handling crucial issues such as flooding and waste management.
Accelerating development in Papua is not only about infrastructure, but also about how the government ensures that all public services can be accessed by the community effectively and on target. In the safari, Sohilait emphasized the importance of the role of health workers in health centers and teachers in schools in supporting holistic development.
This is in line with the idea that a city can only develop if public services run quickly and accurately. Development that only focuses on physical without paying attention to social needs and public services will only result in unequal development.
Furthermore, Sohilait also emphasized the importance of maintaining social and political stability, especially ahead of the 2024 Regional Head Elections (Pilkada). During his visits to various sub-districts and villages, he reminded how important it is to ensure that election preparations run smoothly.
Accurate data on the number of polling stations (TPS) and the number of voters in each region is one of its main focuses. By ensuring this readiness, the regional government seeks to minimize the potential for conflict and disruption that could hinder the progress of development.
On the other hand, efforts to accelerate Papua’s development are also strengthened by the provincial government’s initiative to improve the quality of data used for development planning. In September 2024, the Central Papua Provincial Government together with the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on the Compilation of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) using the Chain Volume Measure (CVM) method.
Acting Regional Secretary Anwar Harun Damanik emphasized that this strategic step aims to strengthen the foundation of Central Papua’s economic development by referring to more accurate and measurable data.
CVM itself is an innovative method that allows the government to measure economic growth more precisely by taking into account changes in volume and prices over time.
This initiative shows that the government is not only moving with the spirit of physical development, but also strengthening aspects of economic planning and analysis. Accurate data is essential to formulate policies that are right on target and in accordance with conditions on the ground.
In this case, coordination between the local government, BPS, and all related agencies is very necessary to ensure that the results obtained from the application of the CVM method truly reflect the economic conditions in Central Papua.
Sectoral statistical development was also a major focus in the FGD. Sectoral statistics play an important role in providing a more detailed picture of the development of each economic sector in Papua.
Without accurate sectoral data, the government will have difficulty designing targeted policies. Therefore, collaboration between BPS, sectoral agencies, and economic actors in Central Papua is key to ensuring that policies are based on valid and relevant data.
Although the government has shown a strong commitment to accelerate the development of Papua, challenges remain on the ground. One of the biggest challenges is the geographical gap and limited access to remote areas.
Papua with its diverse topography, has many areas that are difficult to reach, so it requires a more innovative approach in infrastructure development and public services. In addition, social issues such as horizontal conflict and economic inequality are also challenges that must be faced by the government.
Developing Papua is not an easy task, but with the spirit of collaboration, innovation, and sustainability, Papua has a great opportunity to develop rapidly. The government, society, and all stakeholders need to continue to work together to ensure that development in Papua is not only fast, but also sustainable and in accordance with the local context.
Let us support Papua’s development that is more inclusive, sustainable, and based on accurate data for a brighter future.
*) Observer of Eastern Indonesia Economic Region – Center for Papuan Economic Studies