BESIDES provision of infrastructural development in the Niger Delta, the Federal Government has been told that to end crisis in the region oil bearing communities should be involved in the oil business in their areas.

Founding president, Ijaw Youth Council, Dr Felix Tuodolor who gave this advice in Port Harcourt said the action would cause youths in the region to rise up to the challenges of protecting oil facilities.

Lamenting the budgetary allocation of 79 billion naira to the NDDC he said it had further revealed the place of the Federal Government in the crisis in the region. He said the same government also gave about four hundred billion for provision of security in the region.

He wondered how there would be no crisis when little or nothing was voted for development while a huge allocation was set aside for securing the area.

Adding that the Federal Government should appoint any of Boutros Boutros Ghali, Kofi Anna or Jimmy Carter to end the conflict around the chairmanship of the proposed summit on the region. He also called for the outcome of the summit to be legislated into existence so that it does not go the same way as the others.

On the truth and reconciliation commission sitting in Port Harcourt, Tuodolor suggested blanket amnesty to be granted to insurgents first before they could come to testify. For him the commission could only realize its mission to usher in reconciliation among aggrieved parties in the state and restore enduring peace when these insurgents are granted permanent amnesty.

The fear that their testimonies could be used against them later was responsible for their reluctance to appear before the commission.

Continuing, he appealed to witnesses to help the commission achieve its goal as it was sad that some of them were still holding back the truth. "Some persons that have spoken appear not to have told the truth.

Some of us knew what some of them did in the state. If they carry on like this I am afraid the commission will not achieve the goals for which it was set up. Those testifying are still holding back part of the truth"

He said it should be given to the commission that it had so far brought to light some of the things the public were not aware of. Adding he called for a truth commission to be set up to cover the entire Niger Delta.

According to him, a truth commission on the region to be funded by governors of the region would expose so much and also unite the region. For instance, in his view the commission would resolve the unhealthy rivalry among political leaders in the region.