TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Chief of Bujang Village, Lut Tawar Sub-district, East Aceh Regency, Ade Thermiara, expressed immense satisfaction after successfully managing his village’s financial system. Previously, during his tenure, he could only propose village development programs through the Village Financial System (Siskeudes) at the end of each year.

Before attending the Village Government and Development Strengthening Program (P3PD) training at the end of 2023, not all programs he proposed received approval. As a result, he rarely utilized village funds since his policy proposals often lacked the strength needed for approval from the regional government.

“The funds were already in the account,” he stated recently. He explained that after attending the P3PD training, he finally gained the ability to formulate effective policies that allow optimal use of village funds.

“I hope P3PD training continues, as there’s so much more I want to learn,” he said. A key takeaway from the training was learning how to submit online Payment Requests (SPP), a critical skill for village officials. Previously, he would fill out SPPs based solely on the programs he planned to implement.

“No more hastily submitting multiple SPP titles. Now it’s fewer titles, effective fund withdrawals, and impressive reporting results,” he noted.

Before the P3PD training, Ade admitted to frequently withdrawing funds without filing the required reports. This habit of submitting reports only at the end of the year led to many programs falling short. “Now (after P3PD training), each submission includes a maximum of three titles, whereas before it was more than three,” he said. He added that his staff has also improved in speed when filling out administrative requirements for village fund disbursements.

Beyond successfully managing village budgets and administration, Ade Thermiara takes pride in his newfound capability to create an administrative system that distinguishes residents eligible for Direct Cash Assistance (BLT) in his village.

Regarding food security, Ade noted that after P3PD training, he better understands the distinctions between poor and extremely poor residents. “This includes the agricultural sector as well,” he remarked.

In agriculture, he encouraged his villagers to remain focused on working in groups. This group focus helps ensure equitable distribution of agricultural aid. Farmers eligible for assistance will undergo further selection as Ade now possesses new data from P3PD training on eligible and ineligible categories. “Agricultural management begins with group administration, activity orientation, and financial values that each institution can create,” he explained.

INFO TEMPO

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