Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE GERMAN-CAMEROON GRASSLAND CULTURAL ASSOCIATION                                                                                         Updated in July 2006

§1: NAME, SEAT AND LANGUAGES OF THE ASSOCIATION

  1. Name:
    The association shall be called “THE GERMAN-CAMEROON GRASSLAND CULTURAL ASSOCIATION”
  2. Seat:
    The Association shall be based in Berlin, Germany
  3. Languages:
    The official languages of the Association shall be German, English, French, and Pidgin

§2: MOTTO, PREAMBLE AND LOGO

MOTTO, PREAMBLE AND LOGO

  1. Preamble:

    We the members of the German-Cameroon Grassland Cultural Association desire to be bound through our cultures and spirit of solidarity as a people. We pledge to promote good behavior and human dignity.

  2. Motto:

    Integration, Solidarity and Development.

  3. Logo:

    The Logo of the Association shall be a Grassland traditional mask.

§3: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The primary aim of the Association is to promote the Grassland culture through socio-cultural and academic activities by:

  1. Encouragement of the spirit of solidarity amongst Cameroonians and Germans and beyond.
  2. Making known Cameroon in general and Grassland in particular, her people and their cultural norms and values.
  3. Providing quality consultancy for newcomers in effect to integration into the German society through language, basic laws, and academic formalities.

§4: MEMBERSHIP, RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS

Membership

    Acquiring Membership
    Membership is open to anyone who,
  1. is willing to actively share, defend, and propagate the culture of the people of Germany and the Cameroon Grasslands.
  2. makes his or her desire to be part of the Association’s main goals by paying a nonrefundable registration fee of 20 € and a solidarity fund of 50 €.
  3. As a registered member is prepared to subsequently pay a non-refundable renewal of membership fee of 10 € and a solidarity fund of 50 € annually.
  4. is willing to meet up morally and financially with the obligations of the Association as stated in the By-laws.
  5. Upon signing up for membership, thus accepts the above commitments and association’s rules and regulations.
    Loss of Membership
    Membership in the Association could be terminated due to the following reasons:
  1. By willing termination of membership in a written statement addressed to the Association to that effect.
  2. Failure to abide by the laws governing the Association.
  3. Dismissal upon recommendation by the General Assembly.
  4. Unexplained absence from six consecutive meeting sessions.
    Rights
    Members of the Association shall enjoy the rights to:
  1. Elect and be elected into various posts and/or functions of the association.
  2. Participate actively and constructively during General Assembly sessions.
  3. Be informed of the Association’s activities by the executive board, make propositions, and participate in finding solutions to problems faced by the Association.
  4. Receive support on condition of having met-up with all dues and obligations (as per the By-Laws and Regulations); except otherwise in specific circumstances to be approved by the General Assembly.
  5. Represent the Association by virtue of the powers conferred to him/her by the General Assembly, or in exceptional cases such as time constraints by the Executive board.

Obligation
All members of the Association shall be obliged to meet up with the requirements set out in the “Rules and Procedures” as well as “By-laws and Regulations” of the German-Cameroon Grassland Cultural Association”.

§5: ORGANS OF THE ASSOCIATION

    The Association shall comprise of the following organs:
  1. The General Assembly
  2. The Executive board
  3. Temporal committees (created when need be)

1. The General Assembly
I. Powers of the General Assembly

  1. The General Assembly shall be the supreme authority of the Association.
  2. The General Assembly shall elect members into the Executive board for a twoyear term which is renewable twice and pass a vote of no-confidence where need arises.
  3. General Assembly sessions shall be held every second Sunday of the conventional calendar month, except otherwise called by the Executive board with an urgent and precise agenda.
  4. Resolutions taken by the General Assembly shall be considered valid only if taken by a two-third majority of the registered members present during a session. A defeated bill could be forwarded in the next session by the executive board for endorsement by the General Assembly provided the bill had been amended.
  5. All resolutions taken by the General Assembly shall be mentioned in the registers of the Association.

    6. II.) Duties of the General Assembly

      The General Assembly’s sphere of influence includes:
    1. Adoption and if necessary, amendment of the constitution.
    2. Adoption of General Assembly session’s agenda, minutes, and reports of monthly and annual activities.
    3. Adoption of reports and projects tabled by the Executive board.
    4. Adoption of resolutions to dissolve the Association.
    5. Adoption of resolutions, which could be imperative but are not mentioned in the constitution.
    6. Determine the amount to be levied on members as dues.
    7. Create special committees with assigned tasks, duties and deadlines, vote
      members to such committees and dissolve such committees when necessary.
        8. 2. The Executive Board
        I. Duties of the Executive board
          The Executive Board shall be:
        1. The administrative arm of the Association.
        2. Answerable to the General Assembly.
        3. Ensure the realization of the Association’s programs.
        4. Co-opt advisers as need arises.

          5. II. Components of the Executive Board

          The Executive board shall be composed of the following posts:
        1. The President
        2. The Vice President
        3. The Secretary General
        4. The vice Secretary General
        5. The Financial Secretary
        6. The Vice Financial Secretary
        7. The Treasurer
        8. The Social Secretary
        9. The Vice Social Secretary
        10. The Disciplinarian

          11. The President
          The president shall be:

          • The head of the Executive Board.
          • Responsible for the smooth running of the Association’s affairs.
          • Represent the Association in public and reserve the right to delegate such powers.
          • He /She has the right to sanction executive board members but cannot dismiss them. He/ She shall be compelled to give reports to the General Assembly on any sanction passed on a member of the Executive board.
          • Expected to call for Executive Board meetings at least once before every general assembly session, and when he/she deems necessary.
          • Expected to call for auditing exercises at least once every calendar year.
          • Enjoy the right to call for the creation of special committees where need arises.
          • Enjoy the right to veto during executive board meetings.
          • Expecting to attach his/her signature to all official letters of the Association.
          • Together with the Financial Secretary and Treasurer, the sole signatories to all financial transactions of the Association.

          The Vice President
          Automatically assume the functions of the President in absentia.

          The Secretary General
          Shall be:

          • Responsible for keeping the Association’s documents. Exceptions are not prohibited.
          • Responsible for the scheduling and venue of General Assembly sessions.
          • Responsible for drawing up the agenda of such sessions in consent with the
            President.
          • Responsible for all incoming and outgoing correspondences with the public and within the Association. He/she reads, writes, and channels such correspondences to the executive members concerned.
          • Responsible for taking down, reading and updating the minutes of the General Assembly sessions and Executive board meetings. He/she can delegate such powers.
          • Expected to attached his/her signature alongside that of the President on all outgoing correspondences.
          • The Vice Secretary General Assists the secretary general and shall automatically assume the functions of the Secretary General in absentia.

            • The Financial Secretary

            • Makes records and oversees all the financial transactions of the Association.
            • Informs members about their financial situation with the Association.
            • He / She shall be required to give a detailed report on the Association’s statement of account in every General Assembly session.
            • Updates financial reports and records and documents receipts to support revenues and expenditures.
            • Is responsible for the Association’s assets, whether tangible or intangible.
            • Works in close collaboration with the treasurer.
            • Is together with the President and Treasurer, the sole signatories to all financial transactions of the Association.

            The Vice Financial Secretary
            Assists the financial secretary and shall automatically assume the functions of the
            Financial Secretary in absentia.

            The Treasurer
            The treasurer shall be:

            • The keeper of the Association’s Safe.
            • Charged with receiving payments and paying out cash on behalf of the Association.
            • In charge of monitoring the Association’s account with any financial Institution.
            • Together with the President and the Financial Secretary, the sole signatories of all financial transactions of the Association.

            The Social Secretary
            The social secretary shall be:

            • Responsible for cultural awareness of the Association and its members.
            • In charge of social activities such as entertainments and organization of social events in collaboration with other executive members.
            • Responsible for the keeping of all equipments and appliances linked to social events.

              • The Vice Social Secretary:
              The vice Social Secretaries shall assist the social secretary and automatically assume the functions of the Social Secretary in absentia.

              The Disciplinarian
              Shall be:

              • Responsible for maintaining law and order during General Assembly sessions and
                other events
              • Expected to discipline all members during sessions without favour or fear of any member.
              • Responsible for collecting fines from members who disturb during meetings and late-comers as stated in the “By-laws” of the Association.

                • (iv) In collaboration with the financial Secretary responsible for updating the list of members owing fines to the Association.

                3. Special Committees

                1. Shall be setup to tackle specific issues, with specific powers given to it with a fixed time-frame
                2. Shall give a report to the General Assembly at the end of their exercise and be dissolved thereafter, except otherwise.

                  3. I. Auditing Committee
                  An Auditing committee shall be voted upon at least once every calendar year to carry out auditing exercises. The committee:

                  1. Shall comprise of at least three (3) and at most five (5) non-executive board members nominated and approved by the General Assembly.
                  2. Shall unfailingly report its findings to the general assembly within the time-frame set for their duties except otherwise.
                  3. The General assembly has the powers and responsibility to halt the auditing exercise or dissolve the committee when necessary.

§6: ELECTIONS AND ELECTORAL RULES

Elections

  1. Elections shall be democratic with candidates acquiring victory through a simple majority.
  2. Elections shall be held every two calendar years.
  3. Elections shall be exercised through a direct and secret balloting system.
  4. Elections shall be announced at least two months prior to election date.
  5. An electoral committee of at least three (3) and at most five (5) persons shall be called upon by the general assembly to conduct and supervise the election processes. Such person shall not represent themselves or any post but can exercise their voting rights.
  6. The electoral committee shall proclaim the winners and then proceed to installing the new executive board during the next general assembly session.
  7. A member elected by the general assembly shall fill any vacant post in the Executive board.

Electoral Rules

  1. Candidates vying for any post must be registered and must have met up with all financial obligations.
  2. Members wishing to run for post of responsibility must have a command of English or French or German and be able to understand any of the other two.
  3. A candidate could be denied the right to stand for elections by the General
    Assembly for other reasons not stated in this constitution, should need arise.

§7: ASSOCIATION’S ASSETS AND RESOURCES

Sources of Assets and Resource
The Association’s resources and assets shall be from members’ dues and contributions, general donations (in cash and kind), receipts from sports- and sociocultural activities amongst others. All tangible assets shall be documented and stored by the respective branches of the executive board with the consent of the President.

Disposition of Assets and Resources
The Executive Board shall dispose off the assets and/or resources of the Association with the prior approval by a two third majority of the registered members present at a session.

§8: DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

Responsibility for Dissolution
The General Assembly shall be the only body that can dissolve the Association. A bill to this effect shall be table during the General Assembly session at least two months prior to the dissolution date. An approval by a two-third majority of the registered members present shall be required to dissolve the Association.

Reason for Dissolution
One or more of the following reasons shall justify the dissolution of the Association:

  1. Following a court order from the host country Germany.
  2. Merge with another association.
  3. Break up into various groups.
  4. Other unforeseen circumstances.

Beneficiaries
In case of dissolution of the Association, the assets and / or resources shall be transferred to any Association desired by the two-third majority of the registered members present.

Consigner
The resolution that approved the dissolution of the Association shall be tabled to the
Authorities by the President and the Secretary General.