Social Minister Risma Collaborates With Papuan Evangelical Christian Church, Wants To Stabilize Prices Of Basic Needs Equivalent To Java Island

Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini symbolically provided assistance for the economic empowerment program for the Papuan people (Photo Via ANTARA)

PAPUA - Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini or Risma supports efforts to accelerate economic empowerment resulting from Papuans with various kinds of assistance so that the price of basic needs in the province becomes cheaper.

This was conveyed by the Minister of Social Affairs Risma during a visit to the GKI (Evangelical Christian Church) Tanah Papua, Jayapura City, Tuesday, March 22. One of the root causes of expensive basic needs in Papua is access to transportation.

Therefore, the Ministry of Social Affairs cooperates with GKI Tanah Papua to stabilize the price of basic needs on par with prices on the island of Java.

"Why then do we cooperate with GKI? This is 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 as quoted by Antara.

On the same occasion, Social Minister Risma handed over assistance in the form of basic necessities for the contents of kiosks, agricultural and plantation product production houses worth Rp. 188,761 million. In addition, two trucks and a pickup car worth Rp. 1,204 million were also handed over.

Social Minister Risma said that the basic needs for agricultural products, which are planned to be imported from Mamberamo Raya Regency and Sarmi Regency, Papua, will be channeled through classes from GKI Tanah Papua.

The aim of the empowerment effort is not only to reduce the expenditure of the Papuan people to buy basic needs, but also to increase their source of income.

Social Minister Risma said that the first step for the empowerment program has been carried out in Sarmi Regency by planting fruit and vegetable seeds in an intercropping way.

The Minister of Social Affairs said that his party will help so that these products gain access to the market. "It's not just a pure market, but how we can maintain sustainability for the market, we also think about it. So, we don't just help empower, but how to access the market," he said.

If there are products of poor quality for sale, Social Minister Risma said that the public will be directed to open a processing industry. Later, a building will be built for the processing industry of unsold agricultural products so that they can become high-value products.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chair of the GKI Synod Rev. Hiskia Rollo said that his party has 11 service areas throughout the Papua region, which will support the implementation of the Ministry of Social's economic empowerment program.

Hiskia said he followed Social Minister Risma's journey to empower the Papuan people's economy, starting from Sarmi Regency.

According to him, what the Minister of Social Affairs has done can bring joy to Papuans by providing various assistances to support the economic movement there.

"Earlier in Sarmi I said, when I saw her child crying, the mother would not allow the child to cry. She would definitely do it her way, so that the child's tears would stop automatically. That can only be done by a mother or a mother," he said. .