Tamale, July 11, GNA - Alhaji Ali Mustapha Iddris, Northern Regional Minister, has warned that he would deal ruthlessly with any group of youth, particularly those in the Tamale Metropolis, if they disturb the relative peace the region was now enjoying.

"Any group of youth who try to foment trouble or are caught in acts of violence would not be spared regardless of their political affiliations or the chieftaincy gate to which they belong," he said. Alhaji Iddris gave the warning when some youth groups and opinion leaders led by Alhaji Zagbaa Abdulai, Tamale South NPP constituency chairman, paid a courtesy call on him at his residence on Monday. The visit was to congratulate him on his new appointment and to assure him of their cooperation in the administration of the Region. He observed that the youth were the major fomenters of trouble in the Tamale Metropolis and advised them to engage in productive activities, "instead of stone throwing".

The Regional Minister hinted that the security agencies would soon carry out random searches in the metropolis and surrounding areas to retrieve illegal weapons.

He told the delegation that the region was lagging far behind in development, because resources had been used in the past four years to maintain peace in the aftermath of the Dagbon chieftaincy crisis. "These resources could have gone into the development of the region," he said.

Alhaji Iddris asked the youth to be disciplined and respect traditional authorities "so as to be guided by their good counsel in whatever you do".

He said under the Youth Employment Programme, about 500 youth would be employed in each district and therefore urged them to embrace it and make it a success.

He said with the Metropolis as one of the cities hosting the "CAN 2008," a lot of employment opportunities would be available for the youth to enhance their livelihood by offering services and selling items to the numerous visitors.

"But you can only take advantage of this if you are disciplined, polite, courteous and neat".

"Let the visitors coming to watch the matches see that Tamale is a clean place with hospitable and peace loving people," the Regional Minister said.

Alhaji Iddris urged the youth groups to organize regular clean up exercises in the Metropolis to give it a status befitting a regional capital.