All those who are not royals to the Dagbon throne, especially the youth, have been called upon to stop meddling in the crisis. He said it is time all said enough is enough to conflict in Dagbon.

A legal practitioner, Ibrahim Adam, made the call at a get-together organized by a development-oriented youth group, Citizens Initiative for Northern Development (CIND). It attracted opinion and youth leaders, a cross-section of media practitioners and members of the youth group. It has as its aim, the rapid development of the people of the North, especially the youth. Addressing the gathering Lawyer Adam lamented over the freeing of criminals from police ! custody through machinations of opinion leaders or politicians. He said such acts would not bring about the much-needed lasing peace in the Northern region and urged opinion and political leaders to allow the security agencies to discharge their duties freely and efficiently without interference.

Mr Adam also reminded the people of the Public Order Act, which frowns upon wielding of offensive weapons. He said it is time all said enough is enough to conflict in Dagbon. The guest speaker attributed the troubles in the region to idleness and unemployment and advised the people, especially the youth to channel their energies into fruitful ventures and stay away from violence. He stressed that it is ironical that the Northern territory, which used to be the granary of the entire country, is now wallowing in endemic poverty and called on CIND to fashion out a strategy that would tap the natural resources in the area.

Mr Adam said they ca! n achieve this only if they bury their differences and see themselves as one people. On the issue of free education for the North, he said as a legal practitioner, he has never come across any policy document demonstrating free education nor had there been any budget allocated to that effect. He said the three Northern regions namely Northern, Upper East and Upper West are behind their southern counterparts by about 100 years in terms of education.

Mr Adam said this has reflected in the socio-economic development of the people making the area the most deprived and endemic poverty stricken in the country. He called on the government and all who have the development of the region at heart to pay special attention to the regions to reverse the trend. The Co-ordinator for Christian Council, Mrs Janet Adama Mohammed lamented over investment being put into buying arms to the detriment of education in the region. She advised the youth not to allow themselves to be used by selfish individual! s as tools for destruction and urged them to set their priorities, in order to have a positive focus in life.