West Papua Provincial Government No Longer Budgeting For 'Hands Of Love' Aid This Year, Waits For Paulus Waterpauw's Decision

Head of the West Papua Manpower and Transmigration Service, Frederik Saidui. (AMONG)

WEST PAPUA - This year the West Papua Provincial Government has no longer budgeted for the aid package for nine basic commodities (sembako) to be distributed to residents of the region.

The head of the West Papua Manpower and Transmigration Office, Frederik Saidui, said that this year's food aid package was no longer budgeted through the 2022 West Papua Regional Budget as in previous years, known as the 'hands of love' program.

"There is no master budget this year, but with the change of regional leadership, we are waiting for further instructions," Saidui said in Manokwari, Antara, Friday, May 20.

In the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years, the West Papua Provincial Government distributed at least 100,000 packages of basic food assistance 'hands of love' to all communities in the region.

Although it is no longer budgeted in the 2022 APBD, Saidui added, the distribution of basic food assistance packages is still quite relevant at this time considering that residents are in the process of economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic for more than two years.

Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic had quite a wide impact on local residents where many people lost their jobs, as well as many residents' businesses that were forced to go out of business.

However, to redistribute the basic food aid packages to residents, he said, it really depends on the decision of the Acting (Pj) Governor of West Papua Paulus Waterpauw by considering the regional financial capacity.