Former Pro-Vice Chancellor of University for Development Studies has asked northerners to stop the blame game on the development gap between southern Ghana and the north.

Professor David Miller said the north is well endowed with huge untapped human and natural resources to scale its development needs.

Prof Miller made the request at the launch of a summit dubbed: “Northern Brothers Summit” in at Bolgatanga, which was a durbar of youth living in Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

He said the under-development of the north is due to bad leadership and refusal of northerners who are well endowed to invest in the three regions.

He said he has established an open university in the Upper East Region with his own resources, which is the first of its kind in the area.

Prof Miller and said his colleague northerners nearly persuaded him to set up the university and other projects he had undertaken in the region in southern Ghana.

He said if other persons from the north follow suit, the region would developed enormously.

Prof Miller challenged the youth to develop proposals and business plans to revive the defunct tomato and meat factories in the region.

He asked them not to rush for quick money but rather strive to establish small businesses and manage them well to grow to become bigger.

Reverend Eastwood Anaba of the Fountain Gate Chapel said certain cultural practices such as polygamous marriage, huge sacrifices to gods and excessive intake of alcohol are hampering the development of the region.

Mr Tee Nartey, a businessman in the region asked the youth to be disciplined, determined and get focused in order to succeed in life.

Naba Bewong Segri, President of the Regional House of Chiefs, said although the colonial government recruited the people in the northern territories and used them in the security services, on cocoa farms and the construction industry and denied them education; it is important northerners put the past behind them and focus on how to develop the area.

Mr Mike Zuri, Spokesperson for the organisers of the event said members had taken the initiative to revive the meat and tomato factories.