Six Free Nutritious Meal Kitchens on Simeulue Island Cease Operations

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) of Simeulue Regency has stated that six Nutritional Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme in the island regency of Aceh Province have temporarily ceased operations. Elysa Wulandari, the BGN regional coordinator for Simeulue Regency, said on Tuesday that the halt in operations of the six SPPGs is due to the budget not yet being disbursed by the central National Nutrition Agency (BGN). The six SPPGs whose operations have stopped are SPPG Simeulue Timur Lugu, SPPG Simeulue Timur Ameria Bahagia, SPPG Simeulue Timur Suka Jaya, SPPG Simeulue Cut Latak Aya, SPPG Teupah Selatan Labuhan Bakti, and SPPG Simeulue Barat Layabaung. Elysa Wulandari mentioned that the cessation of SPPG operations in several locations in Simeulue Regency has been in effect since Monday (8/6). The SPPG operations are only temporarily halted. She stated that operations will remain suspended until operational funds are sent to the virtual accounts of each SPPG by the central BGN. Once the funds are received, the SPPGs will resume normal operations. ‘As of today, these six SPPGs are still waiting for the operational budget from the central BGN. Once the budget is transferred, the SPPGs will operate as usual again,’ said Elysa Wulandari. Simeulue Regency is an outermost island region in Aceh Province. Simeulue Island is located in the Indian Ocean, approximately 180 nautical miles from the western coast of Sumatra Island. Simeulue Regency was created from the division of West Aceh Regency in 1999. Simeulue Regency has 10 sub-districts with 138 villages inhabited by around 96,000 people.