Jokowi Instructs Build Logistics Warehouse And Fix Aircraft Land To Overcome Hunger In Central Papua

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy (central) gave information after a meeting at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (10/8/2023). (ANTARA/Indra Arief Pribadi)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has instructed his staff to fix two infrastructures, namely building a logistics warehouse and extending the runway to facilitate food supplies to overcome cases of drought and hunger in Puncak Regency, Central Papua.

"It will build food stock warehouses in two places, namely in Agadugume and in Sinak (District). It should be noted that foodstuffs to Agadugume are often hampered," said Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy after a meeting at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, reported by ANTARA, Thursday, August 10.

The food stock warehouse, said Muhadjir, is to maintain the availability of basic commodities. That way, it is hoped that the difficult conditions of access to various districts in Central Papua in the future will not hinder the provision of food for the community.

"To send foodstuffs to Agadugume directly, it is often hampered. Why? First, the weather, the height is 9000 feet, not all pilots have certificates to land there," he said.

In addition to the construction of warehouses, Jokowi requested that the runway in Sinak be extended so that large aircraft such as Hercules can land to distribute logistics and building materials.

"Because it runs, so that it doesn't have a high cost, because once the flight is Rp35 million, from Timika to Agadugume and Sinak it's Rp35 million. Well, when it can be done by land, we hope it can be cheaper," he said.

In addition to these two efforts, the government also continues to strive for the construction of Trans Papua land roads to facilitate the mobility of goods and services.

Muhadjir ensured that the construction of the logistics warehouse only took one month, while the extension of the runway reached three months.

"This beach is strategic that it can connect several districts, including those in the Lani Jaya area, it is a mountain. Then it can go to Puncak Jaya to Puncak Regency, this one. Then Imtan Jaya, it can be connected if later Sinak Airport is extended," he said.

Previously, as many as six residents in Puncak Regency, Central Papua, some time ago died from diarrhea triggered by hunger.

People in the districts of Agandugume, Lambewi, and Oneri, Puncak Regency, Central Papua, experience hunger due to crop failure. This condition is due to tubers who are rotten staple food due to frozen dew and ice fog.