Papua provincial government commits to lower unemployment rate

Dozens of unemployed Papuan held protest in Manokwari, West Papua Province in 2016 - mediapapua.com
Dozens of unemployed Papuan held protest in Manokwari, West Papua Province in 2016 – mediapapua.com

Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Provincial Government through Manpower Office claim its commitment to continue to reduce unemployment, while giving serious attention to providing employment opportunities to the community.

“In 2016, the unemployment rate in Papua is lower, it is because of the availability of employment opportunities where many investments, projects are built to create employment opportunities,” said Head of Papua Province Manpower Yan Piet Rawar in Jayapura on Wednesday (June 7).

The decline in unemployment rate, he said, was carried out through programs implemented by all relevant agencies. Given the role of agencies is very important to provide employment opportunities, especially agricultural sectors in the broad sense.

“The expansion of plantation areas contributes enormously to reducing the unemployment rate,” he said.

“With so many job opportunities to the community, especially local Papuans who mostly low in education, and have not enough skill or high competence,” he added.

Meanwhile, VI Member of State Audit Agency Harry Azhar Azis said the unemployment rate in the last three years fluctuated by 3.99 percent, 3.35 percent and 3.96 percent. Unemployment rate in Papua Province 2016 is lower than national unemployment rate of 5.61 percent.

However, he said, based on Human Development Index (IPM) and Gini ratio, Papua Province in the last three years  are at the bottom, which is 56.76, 57.25, and 58.05 while national level reach 70, 18.

Similarly, the Gini ratio in Papua for the last three years fluctuated at the level of 0.41, 0.42, and 0.39, or lower than the national gini ratio of 0.40.

“This indicates the achievements of human development are low and inequality between rich and poor in Papua still high,” said Harry. (*)

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