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 Juba Mayor Christopher Serefino has assured residents along Hai Referendum Road that the ongoing paving works will include a proper drainage system, addressing concerns over poor drainage in previous road construction projects across the city.

The assurance comes after residents raised questions about the quality of the project and whether adequate drainage plans had been included, citing challenges experienced with earlier road works in Juba.

Speaking during an inspection of the Hai Referendum Road on Wednesday, Mayor Serefino said the project was being implemented with standard drainage specifications aimed at improving road durability and addressing water-related challenges.

“This road is unique because it has come with the best specifications and standards of how roads are done. There is ample drainage because this is a big challenge in most of the urban roads we have within Juba,” Serefino said.

He called on residents and other stakeholders to support the project by cooperating with contractors and ensuring drainage channels remain clear.

“We want to ask all our stakeholders, our communities, to appreciate the development that is coming to them and cooperate with the company that is implementing the road,” he said.

The mayor warned that blocked drainage systems could affect the quality and lifespan of roads, urging residents not to construct structures on drainage channels.

“People should ensure that our drainages are maintained clean and do not build on the drainage so that they don’t block the water, because blockage of water is one of the main reasons why our roads are not functioning well,” Serefino added.

He also appealed to residents whose properties have encroached onto the road reserve to cooperate with authorities as construction progresses.

“Development comes with a price. There are some people’s properties that might have encroached on the road that definitely, if it is on the road, will be touched a bit. We want to ask our citizens to cooperate and also to understand,” he said.

The Hai Referendum Road project is part of ongoing efforts to improve urban infrastructure in Juba and address long-standing challenges affecting road networks in the capital.