By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA – The West African Youth Peace Mission (WAYPEM) has voiced profound concern over the plight of Africa’s youth, pointing to the continent’s vast wealth of resources that remains untapped.

Dr. Godswill Richman, World Youth President of WAYPEM, expressed deep regret as he attributed Africa’s predicament to a combination of corruption and a dearth of proactive strategies aimed at harnessing its inherent potential.

“Sadly, corruption and lack of initiatives on how to effectively harness these potentials have been our bane in Africa,” Richman said

He addressed a world press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, lauding a few global leaders’ efforts in fighting corruption and promoting youth development.

He also outlined the organization’s accomplishments and future plans, including the upcoming summit where representatives from over 40 countries will be attending.

Since its inauguration by the Nigerian federal government on May 21, 1999, the organization has grown to include 240 million members in 42 countries. 

WAYPEM also announced its renaming to the World Youth Peace and Development Mission (WYPEM).

The change, set to reflect the organization’s now global membership, will take place during the World Youth Peace, Security, and Economic Summit scheduled for December 8, 2023, at the Maryam Babangida National Center for Woman Development in Abuja.

“As the activities of WAYPEM gains international acceptability, demands for adopting a name that would accommodate other countries as members is widely needed and necessary.

“Indeed, the losses to humanity in wars have made it imperative for a new thinking that would advance the frontier of peace through dialogue,” said Dr. Richman.

The organization has been instrumental in peacekeeping efforts across the region, organizing peace conferences in war-torn areas, and playing a significant role in halting the bombing of Iraq by the USA in January 2023. 

WYPEM has been active in promoting peace and development, organizing international and regional workshops, and participating in summits and conferences. 

The organization has also been at the forefront of ensuring peace in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region.

At the upcoming summit, the organization plans to launch the World Peace Center, a multi-billion dollar commercial complex. 

The center will feature a modern specialist university, a bank, an event center, and a multi-purpose training facility for youths and women.

Dr. Richman called on the media and the global audience for support, stating, “By contributing to our forthcoming program, the media would be contributing to strengthening our capabilities in the resolve to uplift millions of youths and women out of poverty.”