Former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Chief Sam Odey

By Seriki Adinoyi

Former Minister of State for Niger Delta, Chief Sam Odey, has identified poverty as the cause of insecurity in the North, noting that until the problem of hunger, deprivation and joblessness were adequately tackled peace will remain illusive in the region.

He also faulted the present allocation formula and called on the Federal Government to review the allocation of Northern states upward to enable them provide more dividend of democracy to their people.

Odey stated this Tuesday  while receiving members of the Association of Northern Youths for the Advancement of Peace, Harmony and Development, led by its President, Melvin Ejeh, at Senator Jack Tilly Gyado House in Jos, Plateau State.

According to him, dialogue is the best solution to end the crisis in the North, “but how can you talk of dialogue in the glaring face of hunger, deprivation and joblessness?”

He added that he would support the association which targets to reach out to youths in the North to contribute positively to the advancement and development of the region.

Earlier, Ejeh had said the purpose of their visit was to seek stakeholders’ opinion on how to end the protracted crisis in the North and to revive the dwindling economy of the region.