The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has awarded contract for the channelization of the Asa River and its tributaries in Ilorin Kwara state to the tune of N1.2 billion with a completion period of twelve months.

Briefing state house correspondents after the meeting on Wednesday, the Minister of environment, Alhaji Hadiza Meilafia said that the contract is to check the perennial problem of flooding of Ilorin town caused by the river and the attendant destruction of lives and property.

The council which was presided over by the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo, also expressed concern over the on-going abuse along the Ogunpa River in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

The cabinet warned that people should not build along the channels and also instructed the Ministry of the Environment to stop what is happening along the Ogunpa channels.

The FEC also approved the recommendations of the white paper on transiting from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting in Nigeria.

According to the recommendation, the government is to licence a minimum of two and maximum of three broadcasting signals distributors at the first instance.

The Minister of Communication technology, Omobolaji Johnson noted that the nation is "well on its way to joining the rest of the world in digital technology using Nigeria’s radio frequency much more that what has been obtainable in the past."

The meeting further approved the recommendations from the 17th Nigerian economic summit and noted that the president will continue to identify with the summit which has served as a major source through which foreign direct investors can be attracted into the country.