According to Daily Trust, residents of communities along the Airport Road corridor in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have raised alarm over persistent lack of access to potable water, describing the situation as a daily struggle.

Communities including Lugbe, Aco Estate, Goza, and Sauka say taps have remained dry for months, forcing households to depend on costly water vendors and unreliable boreholes while awaiting intervention from the FCT Water Board.

In Lugbe, one of the worst-hit areas, residents say they feel abandoned despite ongoing water projects across the capital.

Mrs. Grace Adebayo, a resident of Aco Estate, said her family now spends thousands of naira weekly on water.

“We are suffering in silence. The government keeps commissioning projects on television, but nothing is reaching us here,” she said.

A youth leader in Goza, who spoke anonymously, warned that the crisis is fueling water-borne diseases.

“Our children are falling sick because we rely on shallow wells,” he said.

Another resident, Olugbenga Ajayi, decried failed borehole projects in the area. “Landlords keep digging boreholes without success. It’s a waste of money. We are suffering and need government help,” he said.

In Sauka, residents expressed frustration that despite water pipelines running through their community, supply has yet to be extended to their homes.

The residents are calling on the FCT Water Board to urgently expand water distribution to the Airport Road axis, noting that reliance on private vendors is unsustainable.

“We pay taxes and deserve basic amenities like those in the city centre,” a Lugbe resident said.

Their plight contrasts with recent high-profile water projects by the FCT Administration. In June 2025, President Bola Tinubu commissioned the $470 million Greater Abuja Water Supply Project, facilitated by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who has repeatedly pledged to end water scarcity.

The administration also flagged off the rehabilitation of the Phase II Water Treatment Plant at Lower Usman Dam and the N90 billion Bwari Township Water Supply Project, aimed at improving water access across the territory.

While authorities recently attributed citywide shortages to a damaged pipeline caused by a private developer, residents along Airport Road insist their communities have long been neglected.

They warned that without urgent intervention, the worsening water crisis could further threaten public health and livelihoods.

The newspaper said that efforts to reach the FCT waterboard authorities were unsuccessful.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Government has prohibited recipients of honorary degrees from using the title “Dr” before their names in official, academic, or professional contexts, warning that violators will be treated as engaging in academic fraud.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced the directive on Wednesday in Abuja while briefing State House correspondents after a Federal Executive Council meeting.

Alausa said the policy was introduced to address what he described as the growing abuse and politicisation of honorary degrees in Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

“The recent trend in the award of honorary degrees has revealed increasing abuse and politicisation of this academic privilege,” he said.

He added that honorary degrees were increasingly being used for political patronage, financial inducement and recognition of serving public officials, contrary to established academic ethics.

“We have seen awards being used for political patronage, for financial gain, and the conferral of honorary degrees on serving public officials, which should not happen,” he said.

The minister warned that misrepresentation of honorary degrees as earned academic qualifications would now attract sanctions.

“Misrepresentation of honorary degrees as earned academic credentials shall be treated as academic fraud, with legal and reputational consequences,” he stated.

Under the new policy, holders of honorary degrees are barred from using “Dr” as a prefix. Instead, they must clearly indicate the honorary nature of the award after their names.

He gave examples such as “Chief Louis Clark, D.Lit. (Honoris Causa)” and “Mrs Miriam Adamu, LL.D. Honoris Causa,” noting that the format distinguishes honorary awards from earned doctorates.

Alausa further explained that only four categories of honorary degrees are now recognised: Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Lit), Doctor of Science (D.Sc), and Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts).

He also stated that universities without active postgraduate research programmes leading to PhD awards will no longer be allowed to confer honorary degrees.

According to him, the move is aimed at curbing the proliferation of institutions that award honorary doctorates without meeting proper academic standards.

The minister added that the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) will issue implementation guidelines to all universities, while convocation ceremonies will be monitored for compliance.

He said a national register of honorary degree recipients will also be published annually to protect the integrity of academic qualifications in the country.

Alausa confirmed that the policy has been approved by the Federal Executive Council and is now enforceable nationwide.

A broad coalition of business leaders in Kano has publicly called on Ambassador Dr. Mukhtar Gashash to contest the state’s governorship in the 2027 general elections, citing his longstanding support for traders and entrepreneurs as a key reason for their endorsement.

The appeal was made during a press briefing held at the Kano Press Centre, where prominent figures in the local business ecosystem addressed journalists on behalf of traders, investors, and stakeholders across multiple sectors of the state’s economy.

Speaking at the event, Alhaji Abdulaziz Dalha Musa Dala, alongside Ambassador MD Musa Sani Mainagge, said the call reflects a growing consensus within the business community about the direction of the state ahead of the next election cycle.

According to the group, their endorsement of Ambassador Dr. Mukhtar Gashash is the result of “wide consultations and careful consideration,” emphasizing that the decision was not made lightly but is rooted in years of trust and collaboration.

“For many years, Ambassador Gashash has stood firmly with traders and business operators,” Dala stated. “He has provided leadership, guidance, and intervention in critical matters affecting livelihoods, including regulatory challenges, taxation issues, customs-related concerns, and engagements with law enforcement agencies.”

The business leaders described Gashash as a dependable advocate who has consistently served as a bridge between the private sector and government institutions. They credited his accessibility, responsiveness, and commitment to protecting business interests as factors that have earned him widespread respect among stakeholders.

Highlighting his qualifications, the group noted that Gashash possesses a deep understanding of the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and investors in Kano State. They also pointed to his perceived integrity, leadership capacity, and experience as qualities necessary to drive meaningful economic and social transformation.

“He represents a unifying figure capable of promoting economic growth, stability, and prosperity,” Mainagge added.

The coalition further emphasized that their call reflects a broader aspiration within the business community to see one of their own someone familiar with their struggles and aligned with their vision take on the leadership of the state.

They also urge Gashash to carefully consider their appeal in the interest of Kano State’s development and the well-being of its people, expressing hope that his potential candidacy could usher in a more inclusive and prosperous future.