The Papua Provincial Government says that three new autonomous regions will still receive special autonomy assistance

The Papuan Provincial Government (Pemprov) stated that the three new autonomous regions (DOB) will still receive assistance in the preparation of the use of special autonomy funds (Otsus) for Fiscal Year 2023.

Head of the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of Papua Province, Yohanis Walilo, in Jayapura, Tuesday, said that his party is obliged to supervise and provide assistance for district and city new autonomous regions, as mandated by the law on special autonomy, as long as the new province has not been formalized.

"Anywhere, if there is an expansion, usually during the transition period, assistance needs to be done, where as the planner who compiles and distributes all program activities to be carried out by the apparatus," Yohanis told ANTARA in Jayapura, Tuesday.

According to him, the Papua Provincial Government is still responsible and will coordinate and work across provinces when the new province has been inaugurated. Thus, it does not immediately cut off relations with the parent province, he added.

"So, when the three new provinces are inaugurated, the working area of the Papua Provincial Government will be reduced to only nine regencies and cities," he explained.

Therefore, he said, through focus group discussions (FGD) on the evaluation of the budget plan for the use of the special autonomy fund receipts in 2023, each has a role as a government administrator.

"Therefore, we hope that through these activities, in the future there will be something that can be done for the welfare of Papua," said Yohanis.

He said the discussion priorities for the 2023 fiscal year were still related to education, health, and infrastructure. However, the three provinces will be discussed further when they are formed.

The discussion on the evaluation of the budget plan for the use of the 2023 special autonomy fund was held for two days in Jayapura, attended by 29 districts and cities.

SOURCE: https://papua.antaranews.com/berita/693677/pemprov-papua-sebut-tiga-dob-tetap-mendapat-pendampingan-otsus