Bolgatanga, June 9, GNA - The Upper East Regional Manager of the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), Mr Jonathan Adabre, has expressed worry about the government's intention to continue cutting down public expenditure as one of its measures to reduce the current budget deficit to a sustainable level.

He said this at a forum organized by the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) in Bolgatanga on the theme "2009 Budget Statement, Policy Interventions for Youth Empowerment and Regional Development".

The forum sponsored by Ibis West Africa was aimed at creating a common platform to discuss government Policy interventions for youth empowerment and regional Development.

Mr. Adabre said the continued cutting down of public expenditure would constrain the provision of social services including health, sanitation, water, food among others and asked that different measures should be sought to deal with the problem.

He appealed to the government not to stick to conditions of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund that would bring hardship to the people and suggested that government should focus more on the agriculture, industry and marketing of agricultural produce.

Mr. Adabre said restriction on public expenditure would also have negative effect on government's intention of bridging the gap between the north and the south since monies meant for the development of the area would be affected by this move.

He said there were several employment opportunities for the youth because government had put in place friendly interventionists policy to encourage the youth to go into farming especially maize, rice, beans cultivation among others.

Mr Adabre appealed to the youth to take advantage of the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF) to enable them to undertake profitable ventures.

The President of NORPRA, Mr. Bismark Ayorogo Adongo, said the forum was to empower the youth to enable them seek opportunities available to them to address their needs. He appealed to the youth to eschew conflicts and take their education seriously, adding, "You need to live responsible lives so that you could contribute positively to build mother Ghana."