Central Equatoria Cabinet Approves Mapping of Recreational Centres

(JUBA)-Central Equatoria State Council of Ministers has approved a plan to map recreational centres and playgrounds across Juba to help restore public spaces.

The decision was taken during a regular cabinet sitting chaired by Governor Emmanuel Adil Anthony on Thursday.

The council endorsed a memorandum presented by the State Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Bush Buse, proposing a comprehensive review of the status of playgrounds and recreational facilities in Juba County and Juba City Council.

According to the office of the governor, the mapping exercise will be carried out in coordination with the State Ministry of Housing, Land and Public Utilities, the Juba County Commissioner, and the Mayor of Juba City Council.

The cabinet directed that the minister complete the assessment and submit their findings in three weeks.

The exercise is intended to provide an accurate picture of existing facilities, many of which have been neglected, encroached on, or repurposed over the years, so the government can plan for rehabilitation and expansion.

Rapid urban growth and weak urban planning have left many recreational centres are either dilapidated or lost.

In neighborhoods across the city, open fields that once hosted football matches and community gatherings have been overtaken by informal settlements or commercial developments.

As a result, access to safe and organised recreational spaces has become increasingly limited, particularly for young people.