UNION OF GHANAIAN ASSOCIATIONS IN GERMANY (UGAG)

 NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES COUNCIL (NRC) MEETING IN

LANDSHUT   -   4th NOVEMBER, 2006

With an opening prayer by Mrs Alice Borges, the meeting began at 13.50 hrs after the host and UGAG’s President; Mr. Abrefa-Busia had appologized to delegates for any inconviniences caused by the change of meeting venue.

Mr. Thomas Appiah, Vice President of Ghana Union Stuttgart was appointed to act asporter.

Ms Rita Hagan, Press Secretary, Embassy of Ghana, introduced Mr. Akuamoah-Boateng to delegates as Mr. Owusu’s replacement in the consular section of the Ghana Embassy, Berlin.

ADDRESS BY THE HOST AND UGAG’S PRESIDENT: Mr: Abrefa-Busia reminded delegates of the fact that UGAG was three years old but had not increased significantly in number. He however was glad that the Ghana Union Karlsruhe, had deceided to join us.

He hoped that their decision to join us would encourage many more ghanaian unions to come to our fold so that we could all work together for the benefit of our dear nation, Ghana.

He cautioned delegates about the misuse of our home page and warned that any member caught using any profane words against another member on our yahoo-page will have his or her name removed from our common address.He regreted that the new Ambassador could not be here personally to interact with us but was glad that Ms Hagan and Mr.Akoamoah-Boateng were with us.

ADDRESS BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GHANA EMBASSY: Ms Rita Hagan in her address, thanked the NRC for the invitation to the Embassy to participate in the meeting. She informed the delegates that  His Excellency Ambassador Kesse  would have liked to be with us in person but was burdend down with some appointments.

Ms Hagan told delegates that HE Ambassador Kesse has so far visited  and interacted with Ghanaians in Dortmond, Hannover, Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg. She said the attendance of these meetings by Ghanaians in these cities was rather  unimpressive thereby creating the impression that the Ghana Unions were not firmly organized. As a result, HE has proposed the following points for consideration.

There should be a three-tier approach in our organization.

Firsttier              -             UGAG - at the very top  as the highest executive body with 2 or 3 representatives from the branches.

Second-tier         -              The Ghana Unions - with 2 or 3 representatives of these unions forming the executive body of UGAG.

Third-tier           -               Tribal Associations, Church groups and other recognized bodies.

The executives of the apex body can meet once a month and the entire union can meet twice a year to deliberate on issues affecting the unions and Ghanaians as a whole, Ms Hagan said. She appealed to all local unions to register their members and collect dues in order to generate funds for the smooth running of their unions. Unions should also form welfare committees who would among others, attend to our sick nationals, organize burials of our departed nationals and advice on immigration and police issues as well as the general welfare of our citizens.  HE., Ms Hagan said, is convinced that, when the various unions are organized this way, most people will notice the importance and rally behind our efforts.

On the forthcoming Ghana’s 50th independence celebration, Ms. Hagan informed delegates that the programmes lined up by the mission to celebrate the event include a reception, a durbar, a week of exhibitions and a church service.

She reminded delegates of the Embassy’s intention to honour Ghanaians and other nationals who have rendered their services to our nationals and Ghana as a whole and added that recomendations including a short write-up on what that individual or group has done to deserve the award be sent to the Embassy as soon as possible.

MR. COMMEY-BORTSIE, A member of the adivisory Board of UGAG called on members

to be fair in dealing with each other and hoped that the home page would be used only for the purpose for which it was set up and not as a platform to attacking others since this was sure to create a bad name for the Union. He called for  constant updating of the Home-Page so that events and adverts, that have outlived their purposes, will be removed. He criticized some office holders of UGAG who have cultivated a habit of staying away from meetings and other issues, with  excuses of lack of time, that these were not forced into office. Anyone who can no longer carry out his duties due to lack of time, should give way to another, he stressed.

MINUTES FROM THE LAST NRC-MEETING IN STUTTGART: For the first time, the minutes were not read since delegates have had enough time to study this document. Mrs. Alice Borges therefore moved for the minutes to be accepted ans was seconded by Mr. Dake of Stuttgart.

FINANCE: The President, Mr. Kwame Abrefa-Busia suggested to delegates that since the Financial Secretary, Mr. Peter Osei Sampene, had not yet arrived, this topic be skipped until later so that we could move on with the rest of the programme. Mr. Bediako Amponsah of Stuttgart and some members of the house agreed to the President’s suggestion but other members of the house wanted the house to take disciplinary action against the Financial Secretary for staying away from the meeting for the second consecutive time. Mrs. Dr.Anne-kathrin, a former member of the Advisory Board of UGAG, endorsed the previous statement of Mr. Commey-Bortsie, describing the Financial Secretary’s behavior as not responsible.

The President adivsed delegates to leave the matter to the UGAG’s executives, who will be seeking explanation from the Financial Secretary and  will eventually report to the Advisory Board for further action.This was agreed.

On the question of the Bank standing orders (Dauerauftrag), the Vice president, Mr. Ato Annobil told delegates that it was the most effective way of dues collection and asked the house to reconsider this matter that was brought up at our 2nd NRC-Meeting in Cologne and  turned down because delegates first wanted to consult with their local unions. All agreed to inform their Unions to as from the 1st of January, 2007,  pay their dues by this method. A proof of this is expected at our next meeting 2007.

GHANA @ 50 CONFERENCE IN LONDON: Mr. Kwaku Appiah made a video presentation

of the Ghana @ 50 conference in London at which he represented UGAG on the 30th of September to the 2nd of October 2006. More details can be obtained from Mr. Kwaku Appiah on this issue.

16.15hrs – 1117.00hrs           L U N C H.

GHANA @ 50 2007:

On Ghana’s independence celebration, the President, Mr. Kwame Abrefa-Busia, suggested that UGAG should have a joint programme with Berlin instead of carrying out it’s own programme. He emphazised that all costs should be borne by the Embassy.

A three-man committee was therefore set and given the task to organizing this event together with the Ghana Embassy, Berlin. It will be called „10th March, 2007 committee“

the members are   -

Mr. Kwaku Amponsem           -   Organizing Secretary/UGAG

Mr. Victor Boadum                 -   President, Ghana Union Berlin

Mr. James Commey-Bortsie    -   President, Ghana Union Saarland

MATTERS CONCERNING LOCAL UNIONS AND OTHER MATTERS: Mrs. Alice Borges lamented over the Embassy’s behavior. She expressed concern about H.E. Ambassador Kesse’s selective approach to some local unions and organizations since he assumed office but has still not meet with the National Union (UGAG) This, Mrs. Borges said, was breeding discontent in UGAG. Other speakers were of this view.

On the Ghana-Day which is envisaged for the year 2008, another three-man committee was set and given the task to organizing this event too. The members are   -  

Mr. Ato Annobil                -    Vice President /UGAG

Mr. Kwaku Amponsem     -    Organizing Secretary/UGAG

Mr. Kwaku Appiah            -    President Ghana Union Stuttgart

Another three-man committee to be responsible for the Home-Page of UGAG was also set. The members are   -   

Mr. Ato Annobil        -   Vice President/UGAG  (Marketing)       

Mr. Alfred Aganah    -   Gen Secretary/UGAG  (Information)

Mr. Kwaku Appiah    -   President, Ghana Union Stuttgart (Technics.)

PROGRAMME 2007:

1)      03/02/07 -  Krefeld / NRC-Meeting

2)      10/03/07 -  Berlin? /  Independence Celebration

3)      19/05/07 -  Stuttgart /  NRC-Meeting

4)      18/05/07 -  Worms  /   NRC-Meeting

5)      03/11/07 -   Berlin  /    NRC-Meeting 

Note all these dates except pos.2 are confirmed.

 

SPONSORSHIP: Mr. Joe De-Graft of Ghana Cargo, Oberhausen informed delegates through his partner Mr. Isaac Gyimeh of Berlin that his company has agreed to sponsor our NRC-Meetings four times a year at 100 Euro per Meeting. In turn UGAG will advertise his company in our Home-Page.

CLOSING REMARKS: The President thanked all esp.Ms Rita Hagan and Mr. Akumoah-Boateng for coming to Landshut and hoped that they would send our pleas back to H.E.

Ambassador Kesse. He wished everyone a safe journey back home.

Twenty delegates and observers from Cologne, Worms, Landshut. Mannheim/Ludwigshafen, Krefeld, Berlin, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Saarbrüken  Munich and representatives of the Ghana

Embassy, Berlin were present.

The Presidents of Darmstadt and Munich, Mr. Daniel Torkornu and Mr. Arno Brucku respectively had earlier on asked for permission to stay away from the meeting due some unforseen circumstances.

Closing Prayer.  By Mrs. Alice Borges.

Minutes recorded by

Alfred Aganah

Gen.Secretary/UGAG.