Papua Executive Committee designates the Deputy Governor Ones as a symbol to accelerate the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme

Wamena (ANTARA) - The Special Autonomy Acceleration Executive Committee, or the Papua Executive Committee, appointed Deputy Governor of Papua Pegunungan Ones Pahabol as a symbol for accelerating the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme in the region. Velix V Wanggai, the chair of the Special Autonomy Acceleration Executive Committee for Papua, in a written statement from Wamena on Thursday, said that to accelerate the MBG programme in the Papua Pegunungan region there must be new steps to be taken going forward. ‘New steps in accelerating the national programme in Papua Pegunungan are to designate the Deputy Governor (Ones Pahabol) as a symbol to drive the acceleration of MBG,’ he said. According to him, the MBG programme has been running for roughly two years, but that the central government’s flagship programme has not been optimally implemented in Papua Pegunungan. ‘Our presence here together with representatives of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) can accelerate MBG to run optimally in Papua Pegunungan, which comprises eight regencies: Jayawijaya, Nduga, Yahukimo, Pegunungan Bintang, Tolikara, Lanny Jaya, Mamberamo Tengah, and Yalimo,’ he said. ‘We must look at the supporting components in the MBG programme, including land readiness, who manages it such as foundations, churches, cooperatives, communities, estimating beneficiaries, supply chain systems, and the human resources who must prioritise Papua children or locations here,’ he said. He added that in one MBG kitchen there are about 30 workers who can work, i.e., through this programme the people in Papua Pegunungan gain income, thereby improving their family economies. ‘We hope that through this programme, and that the Deputy Governor of Papua Pegunungan can drive MBG in eight regencies, so that the economic growth of communities is expected to rise,’ he said. Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor of Papua Pegunungan Ones Pahabol said that the MBG programme for this region is very appropriate to help meet the nutrition needs of the younger generation, both in urban and remote areas. A kitchen or nutrition service unit (SPPG) in the Papua Pegunungan region has 14 units spread across three districts: Jayawijaya Regency has six SPPG, Yahukimo two SPPG, and Lanny Jaya six SPPG.