The Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), a civil society organization, working in the interest of the marginalized and for equal social justice at the weekend underscored the need for the youth in the three Northern Regions to stay away from conflicts since there was nothing to achieve from it.
The President of NORPRA, Mr Bismark Adongo Ayorogo stated this at a seminar organized by 'Youth for Leadership', a youth organization in the Upper East Region that seeks to project the legacy of Former President Jerry John Rawlings.
Speaking on the theme: "Peace and Healthy Development", Mr Ayorogo stressed that there was nothing beneficial that could be derived from conflict and warned the youth in the three Northern Regions never to allow themselves to be used to foment conflict since that would ruin their future.
He indicated that during conflict Government spent so much money that could have been used for development purposes, to maintain peace and said since 2006 the Government of Ghana had been spending 200,000 Ghana cedis in maintaining peace and security per month in the Northern Region.
He indicated that the African Continent from 1980 to 2000 lost over 50 per cent of its physical infrastructure through conflicts and lamented that the Bawku conflict had led to the loss of social, physical and human capital.
Mr Ayorogo advised the youth to see themselves as future leaders by finding a means of developing themselves and the nation instead of being used by selfish people to engage in conflicts.
He stressed that peace and development were synonymous and development could not take place in an atmosphere of violence and conflict and asked the youth in the area to note that they were the poorest and should not do anything to undermine the development.
"No investor would like to invest in an area where there is conflict", he noted, and appealed to the youth to be the ambassadors of peace by preaching it to people especially those in Bawku.
He indicated that in order to promote development and prevent conflict, sufficient resources should be used to address poverty and inequalities especially in deprived areas.
Buttressing his point, he said research conducted by economic and development experts on the Economy of Northern Ghana revealed that poverty in the North was a security threat to the nation and reiterated the need for accelerated development of Northern Ghana.
Mr Noble Alagskomah, Pharmacist at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, who spoke on "HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse", advised the youth to desist from pre-marital sex or practice protective sex.
He told them not to stigmatize people living with the HIV/AIDS but to associate with them by giving them the necessary companionship and advised affected people to go for their drugs regularly.
Mr Alagskomah urged the youth to refrain from abusing drugs since it had serious health hazards.
The Acting Regional Chairman of Youth for Leadership, Mr Ayimbire George Adabre said the organisation's objective was to promote the good legacies of Former President Rawlings and to inculcate them into the youth to become responsible citizens in the future.