UNION OF GHANAIAN ASSOCIATIONS IN GERMANY (UGAG)

     2ND NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES COUNCIL (NRC)

                     MEETING IN COLOGNE ON 22.04.06

The meeting started at 12.30 hrs with an opening prayer by the Rev. Father Arthur.

After which the President, Mr. Abrefa-Busia welcomed delegates and observers to the meeting and went on to introduced some special guests present to the delegates.

These included Mr. Anthony Baffoe, the newly appointed Ghana Football Association’s International Co-ordinator, Mr. Benjamin Ampofo, member of Ugag’s Advisory Board,

Nana Boahene of Oberhausen and Togbe Cephas Bansah of Ludwigshafen and the Rev.Father Arthur of Düsseldorf. This was followed by self-introduction of delegates present.

Welcome Address:

In his welome address, Mr. Adu Ankrah, the host President infromed delegates of some of the activities his Union is angaged in, like reaching out to benevolent organizations in Ghana and also rasing the image of Ghana here in Germany when they put up a stand to represent our nation in Cologne regarding the forthcoming Football World Championships, despite financial handicup. He advised delegates to respect criticism and opposing views as a way of improving our system of administration.

UGAG and the Black Stars:

The president, Mr. Abrefa-Busia narrated the story from the promise the Ghana Embassy made to Ugag regarding tickets for the World Cup. Our learning through the internet that Mrs. Sandra Hiller was incharge of the ticket orders and our subsquent letter of protest to the GFA. He complained that up till this day, there has been no word as to whether those who applied for thier tickets through Mrs. Hiller would have them or not. He also told delegates of how he learnt of Mr. Anthony Baffoe’s appointment and picked up contact with him who found time to be present at this meeting.

The President informed Mr. Anthony Baffoe of members desire to acquire tickets and throng the stadia to cheer up our Black Stars and also our desire to meet, dine and chat with them.

Mr. Anthony Baffoe expressed his gratitude  being with us for this all important meeting and promised to do all in his power to help those wishing to watch the matches. He also promised to follow up on the tickets to ensure that all those who applied, got their tickets.

He however, stressed the need for Ugag to put up a concept  which could be used as a base to seeking help. To this end, delegates of Cologne, Nuremberg and Hannover, where our Black Stars would be playing their first round matches, were asked to meet and draw up a programme and present same to the GFA through Mr.Anthony Baffoe.

Mr.Stephen Gyamerah of Hannover appealed to all for complete attendance to make sure that wherever our National Team played, our supporters would not be out-numbered by supporters of our opposing teams.

The Vice President, Mr. Ato Annobil, in his vote of thanks, thanked Mr. Anthony Baffoe for finding time to be with us. He observed that he was happy that the GFA finally realized that there was need to seek expert help from outside Ghana, hence Mr. Baffoe’s appointment.

He wished him well in his new job. He also expressed his gratitude to the other special guests for coming to Cologne.

14.15hrs – Break for pictures with Anthony Baffoe and his subsquent departure.

On resumption at 14.35hrs, the committee to work out a concept regarding Ugag’s role in the forthcoming Football World Championship was appointed by the NRC

The members are:- Cologne –

Mr. Adu Ankrah and Mr. William Nketia.

Nuremberg – Mr. Daniel Asante and Dr. Gyeadu.

Hannover   -  Mr. Stephen Gyamerah

Ugag          -  Mr. Amponsem, National Cultural and Social Secretary of

Ugag as Co-ordinator.

The Rev. Father Arthur told the lone delegates from Hamburg and Hannover who were attending the NRC-Meeting for the first time as observers and who at the same time was seeking Ugag’s help to achieving certain aims connected with the forthcoming Football World Championship that Ugag was not formed  because of the World Cup. He asked them to take this message back to their respective areas that Ugag was ready to accept any organized body from any part of Germany.

Minutes of last meeting:

Read by the General Secretary of Ugag Mr Alfred Aganah. Mr. Appiah of Stuttgart moved for the acceptance of the minutes after drawing the attention of the Gen. Secretary to the fact that Stuttgart’s excuse from the last meeting was not recorded. The move was seconded by  Mr. Kofi Asamoah of Worms.

Finance:

Statement of Accounts presented by the Financial Secretary Mr. Peter Osei Sampene. Low Ugag Accounts explained to members. Among other reasons, the disappointment of the Apstar Ghana Limited, who backed out making it impossible for a member who bought an auctioned  air-ticket to Ghana, donated by them, to use it thereby forced Ugag to refund the price of the ticket, an amount of 760,00 Euro to the said member. Mr. Dartey of Krefeld moved for the acceptance of the Financial Statement and was seconded by Mr.Norbert Edorh of Worms.

At this point Togbe Cephas Bansah one of our special guests today departed after donating an amount of 50.00 Euro to Ugag.  Rev. Father Arthur our special guest and „Spiritual Director“, also left the meeting.

In view of our low financial stand, delegates agreed that a Ghana-Day be organized in summer 2007 to raise funds for Ugag. The NEC to meet and deceide on this issue.

The President asked whether the 150.00 Euro that we now pay to Unions for our meetings be further reduced. Mr. Peter Osei Sampene, the Finacial Secretary observed that the 150.00 Euro now paid by Ugag to member Unions was not enough and that his Union, Oberhausen always had to supplement it. He further suggested that NEC-Meetings be reduced in order to save funds. The Vice President, Mr. Ato Annobil was surprise at Mr. Sampene’s observation, for it was he Sampene’s Union, Oberhausen’s own request that the hither to 300.00 Euro that was paid to Unions for this purpose be reduced to the present amount.  

On the question of dues payment, the President Mr. Abrefa-Busia appealed to member Unions to pay their dues promptly and warned that defaulting Unions would be suspended until dues were settled. A proposal that dues be paid per Bank „Einzug“ was rejected by delegates with a 9 to 7 majority vote.

Other Matters:

The President informed delegates that the NEC at their meeting in Mannheim on the 8th of April, 2006 agreed that all Local Union should contribute an amount of 30.00 Euro to the Late Adjei Bekoe Esq’s funeral and thereafter, use this amount as a measure to any such future incidents. This was endorsed by delegates.

The President, Mr.Abrefa-Busia, read a letter presented to him by the President of Ghana Union, Kaiserslautern, Mr. Akwesi Attah, to delegates. In the letter, the Ghana Union Kaiserslautern asked for their membership of Ugag to be suspended. Reason - Financial difficulties as a result of low membership of their Union. The National Executive Board to meet and deceide on this matter. The President to write to Kaiserslautern to ask them to hold on until he has visited them.

Nana Boahene, suggested that the National Executive Council should from time to time go round to explain the essence of Ugag to member Unions. This, he said, would help to further improve upon the relations between Ugag and member Unions.

Rest Programme for 2006:

The next NRC-Meeting which was scheduled to take place in Mannheim on the 2nd of September, 2006, will now take place in Stuttgart on the same date. . Stuttgart offered to host this meeting with only 50.00 Euro from Ugag while the last meeting of the year takes place in Landshut on the 4th of November,  2006.

32 delegates and observers from Cologne, Darmstadt, Worms, Ludwigshafen, Kaiserslautern, Münster, Krefeld, Nuremberg, Düsseldorf, Bremen, Stuttgart, Hannover. Landshut and Oberhausen were present.

Closing Prayer - 

By Mr. Felix Opoku of Cologne.

20.00hrs – Departure

Minutes recorded by

Mr. Alfred Aganah,

Gen. Secretary/Ugag