Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi Says Independence Is Free From Poverty And Ignorance

Mayor of Surabaya Eri Cahyadi. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi said that the struggle for independence from the colonialists was indeed over, but the struggle against poverty and ignorance was not over.

"Freedom is being free from the shackles of colonialism and having the same rights and dignity with one another. Today, (for) independence we must fight against poverty, ignorance, school dropouts that currently exist in the city of Surabaya," he said, quoted from Antara, Saturday 20 August.

The Surabaya City Government, he said, carried out various developments and carried out various programs to overcome poverty, ignorance, and unemployment.

"So our independence is to seize that independence from ignorance, poverty, unemployment and school dropouts. So, our struggle continues today," he said.

"That we as the Indonesian nation must continue to fight until now. Because we must achieve happiness as dreamed and coveted by all the heroes of the Indonesian state who died before us," he added.

The mayor also stated the importance of mutual cooperation in an effort to build the city and improve the welfare of its citizens.

He said that the city government needs support from all elements in society to carry out development programs and poverty reduction.

The Mayor appreciated the role of Great Surabaya Cadres in supporting the implementation of government programs.

He called the Great Surabaya Cadre as a contemporary hero who struggles to overcome poverty and ignorance with the Surabaya City Government.

On the commemoration of the 77th anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia, the Mayor of Surabaya invited residents to work together to overcome the problems of poverty, education, and the provision of jobs.