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PREAMBLE
IN THE NAME OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD,
We the members of the Global Evangelical Church Choirmasters Union
IN A SPIRIT of establishing for ourselves a Framework of Government for the Smooth
Administration/Management of the Affairs of our Union,
IDENTIFYING the great values of music in praises and worship,
DESIRING to foster unflinching solidarity and welfare among members of the union, the
choirs under our jurisdiction and the church, and to promote the spiritual and
moral life of members of the union,
LOOKING FORWARD to working for the enhancement of the Music Ministry in the
Church,
REALISING the importance of the Principles of Good Governance and Rule of Law to
the protection and stability of our Union,
Do adopt, enact and give to ourselves this constitution for the smooth governance of
the Union.
ARTICLE 1: SUPRREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION
1. This Constitution shall be the Supreme Law governing the activities/conduct of
the members of the Union and any other law found to be inconsistent with any
provision(s) in this constitution shall to the extent of the inconsistency be null and
void.
2. Notwithstanding clause (1) of this article, this constitution shall be subject to the
constitution of the Global Evangelical Church.
ARTICLE 2: NAME AND STATUS OF THE UNION
1. The union shall be known and called Global Evangelical Church Choirmasters
Union thereafter referred to as the Union.
2. The Union, a Christian-based, shall be a non partisan organization and shall
reserve the right to accept or reject the cooperation with any other organization.
ii. a visiting choirmaster to any registered choir in the Church and shall not
hold any position on the executive committee of the union.
c. Affiliate/associate membership shall be available to a choirmaster or musician
who does not fall under sections (a) and (b) of clause 3 of this article but
believes and upholds the visions and aspirations of the union and shall not
hold any position on the executive committee.
4. Notwithstanding sections (a), (b), and (c) of clause 2 of this article, all the
membership categories or status shall be eligible to any financial or material
implemented by the Union and the National Church Choirs Union Executive
Committee.
ARTICLE 9: THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND ITS FUNCTIONS
1. The Union shall have a governing body referred to as the Executive Committee
2. Each Presbytery within the National Church Choirs Union shall nominate and
appoint, a Choirmaster (if applicable shall be deemed to have been nominated
and appointed unless otherwise) to serve on the Executive Committee).
The Executive Committee shall
3. Be the administrative organ of the Union responsible for the smooth governance
of the Union.
4. At general meetings be required to brief or appraise the general Membership on
all policy initiatives and programs.
5. Seek the approval of the general membership on matters of policies and programs
implementation as prescribed in this constitution either through consensus or vote
(in which case decisions approved by vote shall be by simple majority).
6. Reserve the right to implement emergency measures for issues that require
immediate action/solution and shall notify the General membership at a later
meeting.
7. The Executive Committee shall consist of
a. Chairman
b. Vice Chairman
c. General Secretary
d. Treasurer
e. Financial Secretary
f. Welfare Officer
g. Organizing Secretary
h. Presbytery Representatives
8. The Members of the Executive Committee shall report to the General Council at
least once a year on policies and programs implemented or intended to implement
to realize the goals/objectives of the Union.
9. Pursuant to clauses (1), (2) and (3) of article 5 of this constitution, the positions in
clause (7) of this article shall be constituted as follows:
a. The National Choirmaster and the Assistant National Choirmaster/Organist
shall assume the positions as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively.
b. All the Presbyteries recognized by the National Church Choirs Union of the
Church shall either appoint or elect one choirmaster (not necessarily a
Presbytery Choirmaster) to serve on the Executive Committee of the Union.
c. Positions c, d, e, f, and g of clause (7) of this article shall be available to the
Presbytery representatives, and shall be decided either by consensus or
through a vote cast at a special Executive Committee meeting presided over
by the Chairman.
10. The Executive Committee shall be just and reasonable in dealing with members of
the Union regarding their rights, duties and benefits in accordance with law.
11. The Executive Committee shall actively promote the integration of the members
of the Union and prohibit discrimination on the grounds of educational
background, gender, physical appearance or financial status.
12. Policies, programs and projects of one Executive Committee shall be accessed
and continued by a successor Executive Committee on the grounds that such
project(s) shall inure to the benefit of the Union.
13. The Executive Committee Members shall not make policies or rules or implement
same that seek to benefit them to the detriment of the general membership of the
Union.
ARTICLE 10: FUNCTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
(A) The Chairman shall
1. be the head and leader of the Union and shall exercise executive authority vested
in him/her in accordance with the provisions of this constitution
4. Oversee the disbursement of all welfare benefits due members and shall in
collaboration with the Executive Committee present welfare reports on same to
the Union for consideration and adoption.
5. Perform any other task assigned him/her by the Executive Committee and/or the
General Meeting.
(H)The Presbytery Representatives shall
1. Coordinate all members at the Presbytery level
2. Help the Treasurer and the Financial Secretary to collect dues, levies etc. at the
Presbytery level.
ARTICLE 11: MEETINGS
(A) General Meetings
1. There shall be two (2) General Meetings per annum; one in every
January/February and the other July/August
2. Shall by a simple majority of members present at a meeting and voting (Article
16(2) shall be satisfied for such decisions to have legal effects) take decisions.
3. The agenda for discussion shall be circulated among members before the meeting
day.
(B) Executive Committee Meetings
1. There shall be four (4) Executive Committee Meetings per annum; one in every
quarter and this shall usually precede a General Meeting.
2. The agenda for discussion shall be circulated among members before the meeting
day.
(C) Emergency Meetings
1. Notwithstanding provisions in clauses (1) and (4) of this article, emergency
meetings(s) may be convened when necessary.
2. Without prejudice to any provision in this article,
a. Any five (5) members (at least one each from three (7) different Presbyteries)
may by a petition duly signed by the petitioners and addressed to the
Pursuant to clause (1) of this article, election shall be held for three qualified
candidates who shall be nominated and duly seconded.
and
supervise
the
election(s).
The
appointment
of
electoral
2. Pursuant to clause (1) of this article, relevant provisions in this constitution shall
take effect in filling a vacant position.
3. Notwithstanding clause (1) of this article, an Executive Committee Member may,
upon giving three (3) weeks notice in writing stating clearly convincing reason(s)
signed by him/her and address to the Union through the Chairman, resign his/her
position. The Executive Committee on behalf of the Union shall address the
person wanting to resign, an acceptance letter or otherwise after satisfying
themselves of the reason(s) stated in the said resignation letter.
4.
Without prejudice to any other provision here contained in this constitution, the
Chairman or the Vice Chairman shall vacate the positions of Presbytary
Choirmaster (i.e. the Chairman) Assistant Presbytary Choirmaster ( i.e. the Vice
Chairman).
8. If a member assumes the position of Chairman or Vice Chairman for more than
two years of the tenure of office following the resignation or removal of the
Chairman or Vice Chairman from office, he shall be deemed to have completed a
full term.
9. if a Presbytery representative resigns or is removed from office, the affected zone
shall within four (4) weeks appoint or elect a new representative. The new
Presbytery appointee or electee shall ascend the office of his/her predecessor.
ARTICLE 15: FINANCE
1. Each member of the Union shall be liable to pay a monthly due determinable at a
general meeting by a two-third majority approval (two-thirds of members present
at that meeting and voting) and subject to review over time.
2. Funds shall also accrue to the Union through grants, gifts, levies, donations,
interests and profits on investments and other avenues deemed appropriate.
3. The office of the Presbytary Choirmaster and assistant Presbytary Choirmaster
shall employ every mean possible to request not less than 5% of monies accruing
to the Presbytary from congregational levies and this shall be paid into the
Union\s account for use.
4. The Union shall keep its monies at a bank agreed upon at a general meeting.
5. Notwithstanding section (4) of this article, the Treasurer shall keep an imprest not
more than one-sixth (1/6) the total funds accruing to the Union. The quantum of
money as imprest shall be decided by the Executive Committee.
6. The Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer shall act as signatories to the
Union\s bank account(s). Any two of the signatories including the Chairman shall
reserve the right to sign withdrawal booklets(s) or cheque book(s) for the Union.
7. Withdrawal of money from the Union\s bank account shall be done with prior
notice of the Executive Committee.
8. The treasurer and the financial secretary shall prepare the financial report or
statements on all financial transactions by the Union and shall be read by either of
them.
9. The Executive Committee shall appoint internal auditor(s) for approval by a two
third majority of members present at a general meeting to audit the Unions
account(s).
10. Members of the Union shall pay levies as shall be determined to settle benefits
contained in article 18 of this constitution.
ARTICLE 16: QUORUM
1. The quorum for Executive meetings shall be four executive members including
the Chairman and/or Vice Chairman, and Secretary.
2. The quorum for general meetings shall be three Executive members (including the
chairman or the Vice-Chairman, and Secretary) and seven non-executive members
(made up of at least one member from three zones).
herein
contained
which
decision
shall
appropriately
be
4. Such members of the Judicial Committee shall be appointed from amongst the
general membership of the Union. They may before coming out with any
interpretation consult widely.
5. Pursuant to clause 4 of this article, Executive Committee member shall NOT
serve on the Judicial Committee.
6. Any member appointed to serve on the Judicial Committee shall NOT serve on
any other committee simultaneously.
7. Any interpretation put on a provision in this constitution shall reflect the spirit and
latter of this constitution and shall duly be documented in writing and records of
such issues properly kept.
This Constitution
(ii)
(iii)
TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
1. Notwithstanding anything in this constitution,
(a) the persons duly appointed or elected as Presbytery Choirmaster or Assistant
Presbytery Choirmaster before the coming into force of this Constitution
respectively shall be taken to have been duly elected or appointed to the
offices of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Union for the purposes of this
Constitution
(b) the persons elected or appointed as Presbytery Choirmasters (or Presbytery
reps.) for the respective zones before the coming into of this Constitution shall
be taken to have been duly elected or appointed to serve on the Executive
Committee of the Union for the purposes of this Constitution
2. For the avoidance of doubt, any levies, dues, or donations of all kinds collected in
the name of the Union and any benefit paid to any member before the coming into
force of this Constitution shall be taken to have been properly paid.
3. Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the tenure of office of the first
Executive Committee shall concurrently expire with the official tenure of the
Presbytery Choirmaster (the Chairman) in clause 1(a) of the Transitional
Provisions in this Constitution.
4. Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, persons described in 1 (a) and (b)
of the Transitional provisions shall be taken to have completed a full term based
on clause 3 of the Transitional Provisions and may be eligible for re-election or
re-appointment subject to the relevant provisions in this Constitution.
5. For the avoidance of doubt, a person described in 1(a) of the Transitional
Provisions shall not be eligible for re-appointment or re-election to the offices of
Chairman or Vice Chairman if he/she resigns his/her post or is removed from
office or completes his tenure or loses a second term bid for re-election/reappointment as Presbytery Choirmaster or Assistant Presbytery Choirmaster.
6. The findings of any Committee or Commission before the coming into force of
this Constitution subject to relevant provisions in this Constitution shall be
implemented to the latter for the purposes of this Constitution in accordance with
law.
7. All persons holding offices before the coming into force of this Constitution
which offices are recognized by under this Constitution shall take and subscribe
the appropriate oath(s) in Appendix B of this Constitution.
8. All properties acquired for the purposes of Choirmasters under the jurisdiction of
the Union before the coming into force of this Constitution shall be taken to be
properties of the Union and inventories shall be taken and records of same kept.
APPENDIX B
(1) THE OATH OF OFFICE (To be sworn by Executive Committee Members)
I, ______________________________________________________having been
elected (appointed) to the office _________________________ do in the name of
the Almighty God swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Accra
Presbytery Choirmasters Union as by law established; that I will protect the
sovereignty and integrity of the Union; that I will uphold, preserve, protect and
defend the Constitution of the Union; and that I dedicate myself to the service and
well-being of the members of the Union and to do right to all members. I further
solemnly pledge that should I at any time break this oath of office, I shall submit
myself to the laws of the Union and suffer the penalties for it. (So help me God)
(To be administered by a person designated by the Union)
ADOPTION
Adopted this day, the ------------ day of ------------- 2009
Signed
Name
Position
1. -----------------
------------------------------------------------------- Chairman
2. -----------------
3. -----------------
------------------------------------------------------- Member