CHAPTER 5 corruption and malfeasance and promote efficiency in the use of funds of the DCAF. 87. Many stakeholders, particularly in Ho, the Volta Region and Wa, are disquieted over regional disparities in socio-economic development. They contend that policy should urgently be directed at ameliorating these disparities so as to ensure and promote equitable development in the country. 88. Equity with regard to gender and region is the most emotional issue that the CRM observed in the socio-economic thematic area. From a perspective of socio-political stability, the regional inequities appear to warrant the most immediate attention. Northerners with obvious influence and stature were very vocal about the fact that the three Northern regions have the highest percentage of persons below the poverty line and the highest unemployment, as well as the least access to electricity, water, educational, health and road facilities. iii. Recommendations 89. The Panel recommends that Ghana: ? Pay serious attention to equity issues, particularly with respect to gender and region. Ameliorating the North-South disparities seems particularly urgent. ? Purposefully pursue policy to reduce regional disparities in economic growth and development through special development projects or Presidential Initiatives in depressed regions of the country. This would preclude long-term destabilising political risks, should the disparities persist unabated or deepen. ? Find incentive schemes and targeted policies to improve conditions in the Northern regions. Northerners blame not only government policies for their plight, but also their own professionally qualified natives who have moved to Accra and foreign countries. This is an added challenge to the authorities; for as they seek to encourage Ghanaians to stay in the country, they must also persuade Northerners, in particular, to stay and work in the northern regions of the country. Working in cooperation with the civil society and private sector, it must be possible for the authorities to come up with incentive schemes to meet this challenge. Apart from direct incentives to encourage Ghanaian citizens - Northerners and those from other parts of the country - to work in the North, targeted policies to improve the infrastructure and access to public services in the Northern regions would be required. 138