ARTICLES
and
REGULATIONS
and
REGULATIONS
Article I:
TITLE
TITLE
This cultural
organization shall be called and known as the URHOBO PROGRESS UNION (U.P.U. in
short)
Article II:
MOTTO, AIMS, and OBJECTIVES
MOTTO, AIMS, and OBJECTIVES
The motto of the Urhobo
Progress Union (hereinafter referred to as the "Union") is "Unity
is Strength".
The aims and objectives
of the Union shall be:
1.To foster the spirit
of love, mutual understanding and brotherhood among
Urhobo people; good
neighbourliness with non-Urhobo people.
2.To encourage the
growth of education at all levels among Urhobo people.
3.To encourage economic
development of Urhobo people.
4.To work for mutual
understanding and co-operation between Urhobo people on the one hand and
Governments (Federal, Regional, and Local Governments) on the other hand.
5. To project Urhobo
personality at all times and everywhere.
6. To preserve and
promote Urhobo culture and traditions.
ARTICLE III:
STRUCTURE OF THE UNION
STRUCTURE OF THE UNION
The structure of the
Union shall be organized as follows:-
(i) Branches; (ii)
Zones; (iii) Annual General Council.
Article IV:
COMPOSITION OF
BRANCHES, ZONES, AND THE ANNUAL GENERAL COUNCIL.
COMPOSITION OF
BRANCHES, ZONES, AND THE ANNUAL GENERAL COUNCIL.
(i) Branches: A
branch union shall be composed of individual members, a women group, and
affiliated bodies, if any.
(ii) Zones: A Zone shall
be composed of branches within its area of jurisdiction.
(iii) Annual General
Council: The Annual General Council shall be composed of:
(a) The National
Officers;
(b) The members of the
Central Executive Committee
(c) The Trustees;
(d) Veterans whose
number shall be determined by the President-General
(e) Seven
representatives including two representatives of the Women Wing of the Warri
Branch:
(f) Three
representatives including one representative of a Women Wing of each Branch.
(It should be noted that where a Women Wing functions distinctly from the Men
Wing, the delegates should be - Men Wing, two, and Women Wing, one). Provided
that where a Women Branch exists alone, that Branch shall be entitled to three
representatives.
(g) Subject to the
discretion of the President-General, a number of observers may be permitted to
be present at the Annual General Council. Such observers may participate in the
deliberations of the Council but shall have no vote.
Article V:
FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF
BRANCHES, ZONES, AND ANNUAL GENERAL COUNCIL.
FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF
BRANCHES, ZONES, AND ANNUAL GENERAL COUNCIL.
(I) Branches: (a)
A branch is a unit of the total members of which shall not be less than twelve
financial members at the time of formation. In special cases, a branch may be
permitted, from administrative convenience and efficient coverage, to organize
sub-branches within its area. Such sub-branches shall however form part of such
branch and shall be subordinate to it.
(b) A branch may be
founded to cover a whole village or a whole town or a whole city in any part of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria or anywhere outside the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.
(c) In Urhobo Division,
a branch may be organized on clan basis.
(d) A branch may have a
Women Wing under it but any Women Wing desirous of standing independently by
reason of its own strength may be permitted to so stand.
(e) Except as provided
under (d) there shall be not more than one branch of the Union in a village,
town or city.
(f) A clan union or other
organization with ascertained cognate interest with the Union may be permitted
to affiliate with the Union. In such case, the clan union or the organization
shall be regarded as an affiliated body.
(g) As soon as possible
after inauguration but not exceeding a period of six months from the date of
the inaugural meeting, every new branch shall apply in the prescribed form to
the National Headquarters of the Union for registration and recognition. The
application shall be accompanied by the registration fee prescribed under
Article XVII. The body competent to give approval for registration and
recognition is the Central Executive Committee or the Annual General Council as
the case may be.
(h) Upon
registration, a certificate in the prescribed form bearing the Union's seal
shall be issued forthwith to the branch.
(i) Any branch or
affiliated body that has not been registered, recognized and certified as
described in (g) and (h) above, shall be deemed to be unconstitutional by the
Central Executive Committee or the Annual General Council. Following such
formal declaration, the branch or the affiliated body, as the case may be,
shall be stopped by notice in writing from using the Union's name or from
behaving itself, conducting its affairs as if it were a branch of the Union or
an affiliated body to the Union.
(j) Every branch or
affiliated body shall be bound by this Constitution and any Regulations, which
may be made under this Constitution and as, may be amended from time to time.
Where the provisions of the constitution of an affiliated body conflict with
the provisions of this Constitution, the provisions of this Constitution shall
prevail.
(II) Zones (a) For the
purpose of mustering the strength of branches within a given geographical area
not only for the purpose of effective administration but so that they may be
enabled to tackle effectively problems and difficulties peculiar to the area,
or to deal more efficiently with matters of common interest to them in the
area, branches of the Union may be grouped together geographically. Each such
grouping shall be called a Zone.
(b) The Annual General
Council shall have power to create Zones from time to time as may be necessary
or re-adjust or re-designate the areas or the jurisdictions of existing Zones.
(c) Notwithstanding the
provisions of Section (i) (g) to (h) above, every branch intending to apply for
registration shall also acquaint the Zonal Headquarters of the Zone in which it
exists for its intention.
The procedure shall be
as follows:
On the receipt of an
application for registration, the National Headquarters shall notify the Zone
concerned of the receipt of such application and request the Zone for its
comments within 30 days. Such comments by the Zone may not necessarily be
binding on the National Headquarters. If after the 30 days no reply is received
form the Zone, the National Headquarters shall proceed to process the
application.
(iii) Annual General
Council
(a) The Annual General
Council is the supreme authority of the Union. It is the sole policy making
body and is responsible for the general tone of the welfare and fortunes of the
Union as a whole. The council takes decision in broad questions of policy,
considers and decides matters referred to it by the Central Executive
Committee, and through the Central Executive Committee by Zonal Executive
Committees or Zonal Conference, and the branches, if the Zonal machinery is
unable to provide satisfactory solution.
(b) The Annual General
Council shall have power to elect National
Officers as provided
under Articles VIII (c) and IX (iii), remove any National Officer or Trustees
from office, suspend, expel, or otherwise punish any branch or other organs of
the Union or under the Union, impose a fine or a levy on any member, or any
branch or on any other organs of the Union or under the Union.
(c) The Annual General
Council may from time to time delegate powers, authority and functions to the
Central Executive Committee, and shall, as it may deem necessary, or advisable,
appoint committees or subcommittees for specific or general purposes.
(d) The Annual General
Council shall receive reports of branches and all agencies of the Union and
cause same to be debated at its meeting.
(e) The Annual General
Council shall, subject to consultation with the Board of Governors, have power
to promulgate the education and administrative policies of the Union's
educational institutions and shall manifest its interest in matters concerning
their functionaries.
(f) The Annual General
Council shall have power to do, or to undo, or not to do. It shall have power
to do all things to be done, which have not been specifically provided for in
this Constitution. Any decision taken by the Annual General Council shall be
final, conclusive and binding upon all members, branches and all organs of the
Union or under the Union.
Article VI:
MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the
Union is open to all Urhobo people of good character. Membership shall be of
two categories.
(i) Direct membership
whereby an individual applies for admission to be a member of a branch.
ii) Associate membership
whereby an Urhobo organization, for example, a clan association or other such
organization having cognate interest with the Union, applies to become and is
accepted as an associate body. Except under very special circumstances, no
branch shall be made wholly of associate membership.
Article VII:
OFFICES
OFFICES
There shall be three
distinct categories of offices:
(i) Branch offices;
(ii) Zonal officers, and
(iii) National offices.
Article VII:
OFFICERS
OFFICERS
(i) Branch
Officers: Each branch shall have a
(a) President
(b) Vice President
(c) Secretary
(d) Assistant Secretary
(e) Treasurer
(f) Financial Secretary
(g) Welfare Officer
(h) Legal Adviser
(i) 'Otota' (Spokesman)
(j) 'Oyinko' (Messenger), and such other officers as the local conditions may necessitate.
(b) Vice President
(c) Secretary
(d) Assistant Secretary
(e) Treasurer
(f) Financial Secretary
(g) Welfare Officer
(h) Legal Adviser
(i) 'Otota' (Spokesman)
(j) 'Oyinko' (Messenger), and such other officers as the local conditions may necessitate.
(ii) Zonal Officers: Each Zone shall have a
(a) Zonal President
(b) Zonal Vice President
(c) Zonal Secretary
(d) Zonal Assistant Secretary
(e) Zonal Treasurer
(f) Zonal Financial Secretary, and such other officers as local conditions may necessitate.
(b) Zonal Vice President
(c) Zonal Secretary
(d) Zonal Assistant Secretary
(e) Zonal Treasurer
(f) Zonal Financial Secretary, and such other officers as local conditions may necessitate.
(iii) National Officers: The National Officers of
the Union shall be
(a) The
President-General
(b) The Deputy President-General
(c) The Secretary-General
(d) The Publicity Secretary-General
(e) The Treasurer-General
(f) The Financial Secretary-General
(g) The Legal Advisers, whose number shall not exceed three.
(b) The Deputy President-General
(c) The Secretary-General
(d) The Publicity Secretary-General
(e) The Treasurer-General
(f) The Financial Secretary-General
(g) The Legal Advisers, whose number shall not exceed three.
A
person who is not an active and financial member of a branch shall not be
permitted to hold office in that branch, and except under very special
circumstance, no member shall hold more than one office at any one time in his
branch.
Article IX:
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
(I) Branch
Officers:
(a) All Branch Officers
shall hold office for one year. Election of Officers shall be at the Annual
General meeting of the branch; provided that such election may, for very
special reasons, be postponed by a simple majority vote decision of the members
present. Provided further that such postponement be not longer than the second
regular meeting following the postponement.
(b) All offices shall,
before an election, be declared vacant at the end of the business of the
meeting. A Returning Officer shall then be appointed to conduct the
elections.
(c) A nominee for an
office shall be proposed by a member and the proposal shall be seconded by
another member.
(d) Election shall, as
far as practicable, be by secret ballot. Election by show of hands may be
allowed only for convenience of branches where the preponderance of members is
illiterate.
(e) An out-going Officer
is eligible to be re-elected unless he expresses a desire not to stand.
(f) No member shall be
elected into an office in a branch who is in arrears of monthly dues and in
default of payment of other levies, contributions and other monies due from him
to the Union.
(II) Zonal
Officers: Zonal Officers shall hold office for three years; an
out-going officer is eligible to be re-elected unless he expresses a desire not
to stand. All the other provisions respecting the election of Branch Officers
shall apply.
(III) National
Officers: (a) All National Officers shall hold office for three
years. Election of National Officers shall take place only at an Annual General
Council and when a quorum is present. Election shall be by secret ballot only.
(b) All National
Officers shall be required to subscribe to an oath of allegiance to the Union
in particular and Urhobo-land in general.
(c) All other provisions
respecting elections of branch officers and Zonal Officers shall apply.
Provided that any vacancy occurring in Branch or Zonal Officers before normal
efflusion of time, may be filled by a bye-election by the branch or the Zone.
In the case of a National Office the vacancy may be filled by nomination by the
Central Executive Committee. The nominee shall hold the office in an acting
capacity till an Annual General Council confirms the nomination. Such Officer
shall hold the office only for rest of the period remaining.
Article X:
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
(I) Branch
Officers:
(a) President:- The
President shall preside at all meetings of the branch, executive committees,
and conduct meetings with propriety and order. He shall sign all minutes of the
branch and the branch executive committee, and through the branch secretary,
summon meetings of the branch or the branch executive committee when necessary
or at the request of a reasonable number of financial members. He shall
together with the branch secretary sign all orders and vouchers on the branch
treasury, and together with the branch secretary or the branch Treasurer sign
all withdrawals from the funds of the branch which may have been deposited in
any bank.
(b) Vice
President: The Vice President shall assist the branch President in
conducting the business of the branch and deputize for him when he is absent.
(c) Secretary: The
Secretary shall keep all books, documents and other things pertaining to his
office in a satisfactory manner, perform all duties devolving upon him under
this constitution, conduct the correspondence of the branch, attend meetings of
the branch and of the branch executive committee, and take and keep the inutes
of such meetings. He shall together with the President sign all orders and
vouchers on the branch treasury.
(d) Treasurer: The
Treasurer shall receive all monies for the branch and keep an accurate account
in a permanent record. He shall issue receipts for monies received by him. He
shall within 72 hours of the receipt of such monies pay into the Bank approved
by the branch, but he shall have with him for imprest an amount not exceeding
£5. All money shall normally pass to him through the Financial Secretary. He
shall submit an annual return of monies received and paid out at the Annual
General Meeting.
(e) Assistant
Secretary: The Assistant Secretary shall assist the Secretary
generally in his normal duties and deputize for him in his absence.
(f) Financial
Secretary: The Financial Secretary shall collect all fees, levies,
donations, contributions or any monies the collection of which is authorized by
the branch, and pay such monies promptly to the Treasurer and obtain a receipt;
he shall keep a proper and permanent account of all monies. He shall at the end
of the year render the return of all monies received by him and all arrears
outstanding in his annual report to the branch's Annual General Meeting.
(g) Welfare
Officer: It shall be the duty of the branch Welfare Officer and
such other assistants as may be appointed to assist him in his duties to visit,
whether or not he is instructed, any member who is reported or known to be ill,
bereaved, in trouble, in domestic difficulties or is otherwise involved in some
form of difficulty or accident. He shall report to the President when there is
no meeting, or if there is a meeting, the general meeting or the executive
committee meeting, whichever sits earlier, the condition in which each member
so visited was found, and advice on any form of assistance, if necessary. Under
normal circumstances, the Welfare Officer or his assistants shall visit members
at reasonably short intervals.
(h) Legal
Adviser: A branch may appoint a Legal Adviser whose duty is to advise
the branch in all legal and constitutional matters.
(i) "Otota" (Spokesman):
It is permissible as a matter of convenience and in accordance with Urhobo
custom for any branch which so desire to appoint an "Otota"
(Spokesman).
(j) "Oyinko" (Messenger):
A branch may also appoint an "Oyinko" (Messenger) who shall take
message or perform duties ascribed to him by the branch.
ii) Zonal
Officers:
Within the limits of the
wider functions of the Zone, the duties of the Zonal Officers shall be the same
as the duties of National Officers except that they shall in the performance of
their duties emphasize and bring to the fore more pronouncely matters and
problems which are of group interest to the branches forming the Zone, and
endeavor to tackle them or to get them tackled for the benefit of the group.
The Zonal President,
Zonal Vice President, Zonal Secretary or any Zonal Officer delegated to do so,
may tour the branches of the Zone for the purpose of strengthening the Zonal
organization. A Zone may appoint its own Legal Adviser if it so desires and any
Zone that is financially able may appoint an Administrative Secretary for the
efficient running of the affairs and maintenance of the Zone.
(iii) National
Officers:
(a) The
President-General: The President-General is the supreme head of the
Union and shall on all occasions take precedence over all officers of the Union
wherever they may be. The President-General shall preside at all meetings of
the Annual General Council, the Central Executive Committee and the National
Officers Meetings. He shall, unless he prefers to exercise his discretionary
powers to remain as an observer, preside at any meeting or meetings of the
branches and of the Zones at which he is present. The President-General has
power to require any branch or any Zone of the Union to summon a meeting to be held
under his Presidency if in his opinion it is in the interest of the Union to do
so.
The President-General
shall be required to present a Presidential Address to the Annual General
Council. The President-General shall have power to order the exclusion of any
delegate or any observer or any person from any meeting or meetings of the
Annual General Council, Central Executive Committee or any other meeting if the
conduct, behavior or the presence of such a delegate, observer or person is in
his opinion considered not to be in the best interest of the Union or of the
proceedings of the particular meeting or meetings. The President-General shall
have a casting or a second vote in addition to an original vote.
It shall be within the
absolute discretion of the President-General to use or not to use his casting
or second vote. The President-General shall, subject to the provisions of
Article XXIV, have power to summon the meeting of Annual General Council,
Emergency General Council, Central Executive Committee and the National
Officers Meeting whenever he considers the holding of such a meeting to be
necessary in the interest of the Union. The President-General shall together
with the Treasurer-General and the Secretary-General sign all checks, vouchers
and other orders authorizing withdrawals from the accounts of the Union in the
bank or from the Treasury as the case may be. The President-General shall in
consultation with the National Officers, have power to do all things that are
necessary to be done in the best interest of the Union but which are not
specifically described in this Constitution.
The President-General
may resign from his office
(1) on his own volition
by giving a notice in writing of his intention to do so.
(2) if a vote of no
confidence is passed on him by a simple majority of the members present at an
Annual General Council.
If the President-General
vacates his office by reason of (1) or (2) or both (1) and (2) as may sometimes
happen or if he retires as normally happen at the end of his tenure and is not
re-elected, he shall hand over within fourteen days to the Deputy
President-General or the Central Executive Committee any properties of the
Union which passed into his hand or possession by virtue of his office.
(b) The
Deputy President-General: The Deputy President-General shall assist
the President-General generally, and act for him during his absence.
In the absence of the
President-General and the Deputy President and the Deputy President General the
members present shall appoint a member from among themselves to preside.
(c) The
Secretary-General: Subject only to direction or instructions from the
President-
General or the Deputy President-General in the absence of the President-General, or the Central Executive Committee, the Secretary-General is in theory and practice the head of the National Secretariat. All the full-time officers of the Union including the Administrative Secretary and supervises the management, administration and the working generally of the National Secretariat. He shall cause to be taken and kept in a permanent form the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Annual General Council, the Central Executive Committee and the National Officers Meeting. The Secretary-General shall be responsible for the conduct and maintenance of such correspondence as may be required to be conducted and maintained. He shall render an annual report of the activities of the Union to the Annual General Council. The Secretary-General shall together with the President-General and the Treasurer-General sign all checks, vouchers and other orders authorizing withdrawals from the accounts of the Union in the bank or from the Treasury. In the case of his vacation of office either through dismissal, resignation or otherwise, he shall immediately hand over to the President-General, or to the Deputy President-General in the absence of the President-General, all records, files, documents, books or other properties of the Union which came into his hand or possession by virtue of his office.
General or the Deputy President-General in the absence of the President-General, or the Central Executive Committee, the Secretary-General is in theory and practice the head of the National Secretariat. All the full-time officers of the Union including the Administrative Secretary and supervises the management, administration and the working generally of the National Secretariat. He shall cause to be taken and kept in a permanent form the minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the Annual General Council, the Central Executive Committee and the National Officers Meeting. The Secretary-General shall be responsible for the conduct and maintenance of such correspondence as may be required to be conducted and maintained. He shall render an annual report of the activities of the Union to the Annual General Council. The Secretary-General shall together with the President-General and the Treasurer-General sign all checks, vouchers and other orders authorizing withdrawals from the accounts of the Union in the bank or from the Treasury. In the case of his vacation of office either through dismissal, resignation or otherwise, he shall immediately hand over to the President-General, or to the Deputy President-General in the absence of the President-General, all records, files, documents, books or other properties of the Union which came into his hand or possession by virtue of his office.
The Publicity
Secretary-General: The Publicity
Secretary-General shall, subject to directions as may be necessary from the
Secretary-General, give publicity to every aspect of the work of the Union and
shall cultivate and promote good public relations between the Union and other
organizations as the case may be.
(e) The
Treasurer-General: The Treasurer-General shall receive and pay into
any Bank approved by the Central Executive Committee, within 72 hours, all
monies received for and on behalf of the Union. He shall have with him for
imprest an amount not exceeding £20. He shall not pay any bill except the
payment voucher prepared by him in respect of the bill shall have been signed
by both the President-General and the Secretary-General. He shall together with
the President-General and the Secretary-General sign all withdrawals from the
Bank. He shall keep a true and accurate record of all receipts and expenditure;
render a proper income and expenditure account annually and prepare a Balance
Sheet of the assets and liabilities of the Union annually; and his books and
accounts shall be audited by an Auditor. All monies shall generally pass to the
Treasurer-General through the Financial Secretary-General.
(f) The
Financial Secretary-General: The Financial Secretary-General shall
collect monies due to the Union and shall keep a proper account of the monies
so collected. He shall pay to the Treasurer-General all monies collected by him
within 72 hours of the collection of such monies, stating on the Receipt Voucher
the source or sources from which such monies were collected and obtain a
receipt of each payment from the Treasurer-General. He shall be required to
render an annual report to the Annual General Council
(g) The Legal
Advisers: The Legal Adviser shall advise the Union and its officers on
all legal matters and on the Constitution of the Union. The Union may not be
bound to take his advice. He shall, when the occasion arises, arrange for the
defense of the Union in a court of law. Not more than three Legal Advisers may
be appointed.
Article XI:
STATUTORY COMMITTEES
STATUTORY COMMITTEES
The following shall, for
the time being, constitute the statutory committees of the Union.
(i) Branch Executive Committee
(ii) Zonal Executive Committee
(iii) Central Executive Committee
(iv) National Officers Meeting
(ii) Zonal Executive Committee
(iii) Central Executive Committee
(iv) National Officers Meeting
Article XII:
COMPOSITION OF STATUTORY COMMITTEES
(i) Branch
Executive Committee: A Branch Executive Committee shall be composed of
the Branch Officers, the representative of the Branch in the Zonal Executive
Committee, if not already an officer, as ex-officio members, and such number of
un-official members as the branch may decide to elect. The election shall be
by-secret ballot or by show of hands as provided under Article IX above.
(ii) Zonal
Executive Committee: All Zonal officers shall be ex-officio
members of the Zonal Executive Committee. The unofficial Zonal Executive
members shall be representatives nominated by the branches forming the Zone.
Not more than three representatives shall be nominated from each branch, but in
the case of a branch where there is a Women Wing, one of the representatives
shall be a woman.
(iii) Central
Executive Committee: All National Officers shall be ex-officio members
of the Central Executive Committee. The unofficial members of the Central
Executive Committee shall be
(a) One representative
of each of the Zones whose area of jurisdiction is within Nigeria; provided
that Warri Branch shall have two representatives.
(b)The Chairman of the
Management Committee of the Urhobo College who shall have been a registered
financial member of the Union.
(c) Three
representatives of Women Wings of the Union who shall represent women
interests, and shall be elected one each by the Warri, Central Urhobo and
Western Urhobo Zones.
(iv) National Officers
Meeting: The National Officers Meeting shall be composed of all National
Officers. The National Officers Meeting is in fact a sub-committee or an agent
of the Central Executive Committee to which it shall be responsible.
Article XIII:
FUNCTIONS AND POWERS
OF STATUTORY COMMITTEES.
FUNCTIONS AND POWERS
OF STATUTORY COMMITTEES.
(i) Branch
Executive Committee: Each Branch Executive Committee shall, subject to
the wishes of the branch, have power to manage the affairs of the branch. It
shall also have power to recommend suspension, dismissal or other disciplinary
action against any member, to the General Meeting of the branch for final
action.
(ii) Zonal
Executive Committee: The Zonal Executive Committee shall be responsible for
the orderly management of the affairs of the Zone. It shall exercise a
beneficial influence over all the branches forming the Zone and shall in
certain respects be answerable to the Central Executive Committee for the
conduct of its member-branches.
(iii) Central
Executive Committee: The Central Executive Committee shall be next in rank
and authority to the Annual General Council.
The Central Executive
Committee shall be responsible for the execution of the decisions of the Annual
General Council, the general administration of the business and the government
of the Union during intervals between Annual General Councils.
The Central Executive
Committee shall meet at least twice a year, at such time and place as the
President-General may direct. The Central Executive Committee may appoint
committees or sub-committees to deal with the business of the Union, and may
invest such committees or sub-committees with such powers as it may deem
necessary; provided that such committees or sub-committees shall only be
subject to the control and direction of the Annual General Council and shall
have power to:
(a) impose levies
or fines on members, branches, or other agencies of the Union as it may
consider necessary for the furtherance of the aims, objectives and interests of
the Union;
(b) order the
dissolution of a Branch Executive Committee or a Zonal Executive Committee the
activities of which, in its opinion, threaten the unity and solidarity of the
Union. The Central Executive Committee may set up a caretaker committee in
place of the dissolved Executive Committee. The Central Executive Committee
shall, as soon as possible, order a fresh-election under its own auspices, and
in any case, a caretaker committee shall not run for a period exceeding six
months.
(c) dissolve, upon the
recommendation of a Zonal Executive Committee, or on its own initiative, any
branch which it may consider unnecessary or the further existence of which is
considered to be undesirable and prejudicial to the interest of the Union. The
officers of such a dissolved branch shall cease forthwith to hold office. The
funds and all other properties of the branch shall thereafter be remitted into
the custody of the National Secretariat.
The National Secretarial
shall direct the ways and manner of disposing of such funds or other
properties.
(d) accord, on behalf of
the Annual General Council, official recognition to any branch union that shall
have been newly formed during interval of Annual General Councils.
(e) manage, during
intervals of Annual General Councils, all the affairs of the Union and shall
take decisions on all issues, reporting at the appropriate time later, to the
Annual General Council provided that the action of the Central General Council
in respect of (a), (b) and (c) above, shall be subject to appeal to the Annual
General Council. Such an appeal shall not however prevent the Branch Executive
Committee or the Zonal Executive Committee from carrying out in the meantime
the order of the Central Executive Committee, unless of course the Central
Executive Committee itself, or the Annual General Council, as the case may be,
suspends or stays the execution or the implementation of the order pending the
hearing of the appeal.
(iv) National
Officers Meeting: The National Officers Meeting shall be a consultative and
advisory body to the President-General during intervals between meetings of the
Central Executive Committee. The National Officers Meeting shall have power to
take decisions on behalf of, and shall be fully answerable to, the Central
Executive Committee. And in particular, the National Officers Meeting shall, in
addition to any powers which may be specially assigned to it by this
Constitution, exercise the powers of the Central Executive Committee especially
where and when it is impossible for the Central Executive Committee to meet.
Minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of the National Officers Meetings
shall be forwarded to each member of the National Executive Committee.
Article XIV:
NATIONAL SECRETARIAT.
NATIONAL SECRETARIAT.
The Union shall
establish and maintain a central office to be known as National Secretariat.
The head of the National Secretariat shall be the Secretary-General. All paid
officials of the Union shall be responsible and answerable to the
Secretary-General.
Article XV:
HEADQUARTERS
HEADQUARTERS
There shall be two
officially recognized headquarters in the context of this constitution,
namely,
(i) Zonal Headquarters
(ii) National Headquarters
(ii) National Headquarters
(i) Zonal Headquarters: Each recognized Zone shall
establish and maintain a central office to be known as the Zone's Headquarters.
The sitting of the headquarters of each Zone shall be determined by the
branches comprising the Zone.
(ii) National
Headquarters: The National Headquarters of the Union shall be the National
Secretariat, and, in the context of this Constitution, the term National
Headquarters means and includes the Secretary-General, the Secretariat Staff
all of whom act under the authority of the President-General.
Article XVI:
ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY
ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY
There shall be a post to
be known, as the post of an Administrative Secretary which shall, as far as
possible, remain filed always. The Administrative Secretary, who shall be a
paid employee of the Union, shall be appointed by the Central Executive
Committee. He is not, by reason of the appointment, a National Officer, but a
person already holding a National Office may be appointed as an Administrative
Secretary because of his special qualifications and aptitude. The
Administrative Secretary shall be the chief executive officer of the National
Secretariat. He shall supervise and control all the paid employees of the Union
and shall take directives from the Secretary General in the running of the
National Secretariat.
He shall deal with all
the correspondence, keep the files and undertake the day-to-day business of the
National Secretariat. He shall take the minutes of the Annual General Council,
the Central Executive Committee, the National Officers Meeting and of other
sub-committees as may be required. He shall undertake to organize branches, and
shall whenever it is advisable, be delegated to attend Zonal Conferences and
Zonal Committee meetings.
Article XVII:
FEES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
FEES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
No branch shall be
registered and recognized except upon payment of a registration fee of £2.2.-d
(two guineas) but in the case of an associated body the fee shall be
£3.3.-d(three guineas). In either case the fee must accompany the application
for registration. Admission fee for direct membership and monthly subscription
by individual members shall be determined by each branch. In no case shall
admission fee be less that 5/-, monthly subscription less than 1/- and
membership card less than 2/-. A fee to be known as the National Headquarters
Maintenance Fund payable by the branch to the National Headquarters shall be
determined by the Central Executive Committee. Application by any organization
for affiliation shall be accompanied by a fee of £3.3.-d and the annual
subscription by the associated organization shall be £1.1.d.
Article XVIII:
FUNDS
FUNDS
The funds of the Union
shall be derived from the subscriptions by, and levies on, members; donations
and public collections; sale of membership cards, books, pamphlets and money
raised from other sources. Fees for the admission of new members and monthly
subscriptions shall be as provided in Article XVII of the Constitution. The
funds of the Union alone shall be answerable for any debts lawfully incurred and
claims lawfully made against it. No member, although he may a party to any
order, shall be individually liable in respect of any other lawfully given or
made against the Union. The funds of a branch shall be the common property of
the Union. Any branch seceding from the Union or any member or group of members
resigning or otherwise severing connection with the branch, or the Union, shall
forfeit every right or claim to such funds.
Article XIX:
AUDITING
AUDITING
Auditors shall not be
elected or appointed permanently into office. Three weeks to the Annual General
Meeting, Annual Zonal Conference or to the Annual General Council, or at any
other time as may be necessary so to do, auditing of the accounts must be
ordered. The authorities concerned shall retain professional auditors, or
appoint two members to audit the accounts. The auditor shall submit a written
report for the presentation at the Annual General Meeting. Annual Zonal
Conference or Annual General Council, as the case may be.
Article XX:
FISCAL YEAR
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the
Union shall be the period 1st January to the 31st December of the same year.
Article XXI:
TRUSTEES
TRUSTEES
The Trustees of the
Union for the purpose of registration under the Land (Perpetual Succession
Ordinance, 1924), shall be appointed by the Annual General Council.
The trustees shall be
three members of the Union, and they cover also all Branch Unions.
The trustees shall have
vested in them the real estate, whatever belongs to the Union. They shall deal
with the estates and the belongings in such a manner as the Central Executive
Committee or the Annual General Council may direct. Trustees shall remain in
office subject to good behavior.
If the office of a
trustee falls vacant it shall be filled by the Annual General Council. A
trustee shall be removed from office at the Annual General Council if
two-thirds of members present vote for his removal. All trustees must jointly
sign all deeds on behalf of the Union.
The trustees shall have
power to accept and hold in trust all land belonging to the Union subject to
such conditions as may be imposed. All documents of the Union shall be executed
by the trustees and sealed with the Union's seal.
Article XXII:
VETERANS
VETERANS
Veterans mean and
include inactive members of the Union who have distinguished themselves by long
experience and grown old in the service of the Union and who are still
interested in and loyal to the cause of the Union. Veterans may be allowed to
attend from time to time any meeting of the Union. They are eligible to
contribute to discussions but shall have no right to vote.
Article XXIII:
OBSERVERS
OBSERVERS
Observers mean and
include members of the Union attending any meeting on sufferance. Observers may
contribute to discussions but shall have no right to vote.
Article XXIV:
APPEALS
APPEALS
(i) Any member or a
group of members of a branch union who is not satisfied with any decision made
by the branch or by the branch executive committee of the Union may within 60
days from the date of the decision appeal to the Zonal body to which the branch
belongs. It shall be within the discretion of that Zone to decide whether such
an appeal shall be heard at its normal Zonal executive Committee or at its
Zonal Conference or at a special committee arranged for that purpose. In any
case, the appeal shall with reasonable diligence be heard within 60 days from
the date when it was first lodged with the Zone. The appeal fee shall be
£1.1.0d.
(ii) If a member or a
group of members of a branch, or if a branch as a whole, is dissatisfied with
any decision of the Zone of which it is a member, such a member, or group of
members, or the branch as a whole, may within 60 days from the date of the
decision of the Zone appeal to the Central Executive Committee.
It shall be within
the competence of the Central Executive Committee itself to deal with the
appeal or appoint a sub-committee to deal with it. The appeal fee shall be
£2.2.0d. Provided that if the appeal succeeds, the respondent must refund the
appeal fee to the appellant. The Central Executive Committee is the highest
appellate body of the Union as a whole, and its decision or ruling shall be
final.
Article XXV:
MEETINGS
MEETINGS
The regular meetings of
the Union shall be
(i) Branch Union
meeting
(ii) Branch Executive Committee meeting
(iii) Zonal Conference
(iv) Zonal Executive Committee meeting
(v) Central Executive Committee meeting
(vi) National Officers Meeting
(vii) Meeting of the Annual General Council.
(ii) Branch Executive Committee meeting
(iii) Zonal Conference
(iv) Zonal Executive Committee meeting
(v) Central Executive Committee meeting
(vi) National Officers Meeting
(vii) Meeting of the Annual General Council.
An emergency meeting of
any of the above-named may be called as and when the need arises.
Article XXVI:
NOTICE OF MEETING
NOTICE OF MEETING
There shall be seven
clear days notice of meeting to all members with regard to regular branch union
meetings. No such notice may however be necessary where, as in many cases, the
days of meeting have already been permanently fixed to specific days of the month
e.g. first Saturday or first Sunday or so, of every month. A notice of at least
fourteen days shall be required in the case of Zonal Conference. On the
direction of the President-General, at least three months' notice of the
intention to hold on Annual General Council shall be given to branches, Zones
and affiliated bodies by the National Secretariat. If owing to circumstances
such notice is unable to convey exact dates of the meeting, a subsequent notice
bearing such information shall be sent as soon as possible thereafter. Owing to
the nature of the circumstances giving rise to the holding of emergency
meetings, it has not been considered advisable to set down in a permanent way
the length of notice for convening them. The length of notice shall in each
case be determined by the exigency or otherwise of the subject to be discussed
and the time available. If the President or the Branch Executive Committee
fails consistently for three months to summon any meeting of the Union, the
members of the branch may compel the President or the Branch Executive
Committee to do so in the following manner. Any ten financial members shall
call the meeting which may be ordinary or emergency by signifying in writing
their desire to do so in a document to which they append their signatures. In
such a case, the ten members shall be the quorum and any business transacted at
such a meeting shall be valid.
Article XXVII:
QUORUM
QUORUM
A quorum shall be deemed
to be present at Branch meetings, Branch Executive Committee meetings, Zonal
Conference and Zonal Executive Committee meetings if the attendance is made up
of one quarter of the members on roll including the President and/or the
Secretary, except in cases of emergency as provided in Article XXVI. In the
case of the Central Executive Committee, seven members including the
President-General and/or the Secretary-General shall form the quorum.
In regard to the
National Officers Meeting any five National Officers sitting with the authority
and direction of the President-General, shall form the quorum.
With respect to the
Annual General Council, one half of the National Officers including the
President-General or the Deputy President-General or the Secretary-General, and
representatives of ten branches shall be the quorum.
Article XXVIII:
AGENDA
AGENDA
Each branch or Zone
shall prepare an agenda for its meetings. In the case of Annual General
Council, each branch or Zone shall, seven weeks before the sitting of the
Council, send to the National Secretariat its own suggestions and proposals,
resolutions and motions for considerations for inclusion in the agenda. After
processing the final agenda, it shall as far as practicable reach the branches
and Zones at least three weeks before the sitting of the Annual General
Council.
Article XXIX:
ANNUAL REPORT
ANNUAL REPORT
All chairmen of agencies or sub-bodies of the Union, and all
branches of the Union shall be required to submit annual reports to the Annual
General Council.
Where the person to submit a report is not a registered member of
the Union, he may attend the meeting of the Annual General Council upon
invitation and only at the time that he is required to do so.
Article XXX:
URHOBO NATIONAL DAY
URHOBO NATIONAL DAY
The anniversary of the
founding of the Union which falls on the 3rd November shall be observed
everywhere by Urhobo people as the URHOBO NATIONAL DAY. It is to be noted that
the Union was founded on 3rd November, 1931.
Article XXXI:
CONFERENCES & ASSEMBLIES
CONFERENCES & ASSEMBLIES
The Branch Executive
Committee, or the Zonal Executive Committee, or the Central Executive Committee,
may, in matters within their respective limits and competence, organize
conferences or assemblies which shall be open to non-members of the Union for
the purpose of furthering the interests of the Urhobo nation and people.
Article XXXII:
VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE
VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE
If owing to
unsatisfactory behavior, conduct or action of an officer or a group of members
or officers or of an Executive Committee, a vote of no confidence is
successfully moved against such member, or officer or a group of members or
officers or against an Executive Committee, he or they shall be at once vacate
office if he is an office-holder, or if they are office-holders. All those
involved and impeached in a vote of no confidence shall not participate in the
vote that is to ensue, and shall resign from their office, if two thirds of the
members on roll and present at the meeting voted against them. An out-voted
member or officer shall within 3 days of such voting hand over all union
property in his possession to the President or Secretary if they are themselves
not involved. If they are, the handing-over shall be made to any three
financial members who shall jointly sign a receipt of having taken over the
property.
Any member or officer
who is dissatisfied may within 7 days lodge an appeal as provided under Article
XXIV.
Article XXXIII:
DISCIPLINE
DISCIPLINE
Any member whose
behavior, conduct or action is proved or considered as likely to bring
discredit to the Union, or whose behavior, conduct or action is or appears to
be against the general interest of the Union or whose behavior, conduct or
action is or appears to be subversive to the welfare, unity and solidarity of
the Union, shall upon successful trial after an indictment, be guilty of an
offence and shall be disciplined in one of the following ways according to the
gravity of the offence:
(a) Removal from office,
if an officer;
(b) Fine up to a maximum of £20.
(c) Suspension up to a maximum period of 12 months, or
(d) Dismissal or expulsion from the Union.
(b) Fine up to a maximum of £20.
(c) Suspension up to a maximum period of 12 months, or
(d) Dismissal or expulsion from the Union.
If a member who is
disciplined by his own branch is dissatisfied he shall have the right to appeal
as provided under Article XXIV.
Article XXXIV:
POWER TO MAKE BYE-LAWS
POWER TO MAKE BYE-LAWS
A branch may make
bye-laws for the conduct of its local affairs, but such bye-laws and any
amendments thereto, shall be submitted for approval to the Central Executive
Committee. Such bye-laws shall not be operative unless such approval has been
given. A copy of such bye-laws shall be filed in the National Secretariat.
Article XXXV:
SEAL, EMBLEM, CREST AND COLORS
SEAL, EMBLEM, CREST AND COLORS
The seal of the Union
shall be a design recommended by a resolution of the Central Executive
Committee and approved by the Annual General Council.
The Emblem and Crest of
the Union shall be the leopard with a palm tree in the background, and shall be
used for all purposes authorized by the Union.
The Colors of the Union
shall be determined by the Central Executive Committee and approved by the
Annual General Council.
Article XXXVI:
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
The Annual General
Council, either at its regular meetings, or emergency meeting, shall have power
to alter, vary, repeal, add to, or otherwise amend any or all of the provisions
of this Constitution. Provided that a majority of the delegates present at the
Council pass a substantive motion in support of the action.
Article XXXVII: DISSOLUTION
The Union shall not
dissolve itself except on a seven-eight majority vote of delegates taken at a
meeting of the Annual General Council or if two-thirds of the total number of
registered branches so desire. Provided that debts and liabilities lawfully
incurred on behalf of the Union shall have been discharged and the remaining
funds, if any devoted to a purpose decided upon by the Annual General Council.
Article XXXVIII:
REPEAL
REPEAL
This Constitution
repeals and replaces the previous Constitution of the Union especially the one
adopted at the 1956 Annual General Council.
PASSED ON THE MANDATE OF
THE LAST ANNUAL GENERAL COUNCIL BY THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT ITS
MEETING HELD ON SATURDAY, 25TH SEPTEMBER 1965.
T.E.A.
Salubi
|
A.T. Rerri
|
PRESIDENT-GENERAL
|
PRINCIPAL
SECRETARY
|
REGULATIONS
These Regulations are made as supplement to the Constitution. In
the case where the Constitution and the Regulations conflict, the Constitution
shall prevail.
MEMBERSHIP AND MEETINGS
Regulation 1:-
A prospective member shall appear in person at a
general meeting of a branch and apply for enrolment. The branch to which the
application is made shall consider, approve or disapprove the membership of the
applicant.
Regulation 2:-
In the event of a branch
refusing to enroll a prospective member, such prospective member may re-apply
for enrolment after a duration of 12 months.
Regulation 3:-
Every member of the
Union shall possess the Union's membership card whose price shall be fixed by
the branch issuing the card.
Regulation 4:-
A member who wishes to
speak at a meeting shall signify his intention by raising up his hand. He must
not speak until the President or any member presiding has allowed him to speak.
Regulation 5:-
A member shall speak on
a given subject once only unless the member presiding directs otherwise; but a
member who introduces a topic or motion shall have the right to speak twice by
answering the points raised by other members on the subject.
Regulation 6:-
A member shall not quarrel or engage in side
talks with other members in a meeting.
Regulation 7:-
A member shall not
impute improper motive at a meeting.
Regulation 8:-
A member shall not read
newspapers or other papers not relevant to the subject under discussion in a
meeting.
ELECTIONS
Regulation 9:-
At the Annual General Meeting of a branch, or
the triennial Zonal Conference or the triennial General Council where elections
to offices will be held, the offices shall be declared vacant at the end of the
business of the meeting and a returning officer shall be appointed to conduct
the elections.
Regulation 10:-
A nominee for an office shall be proposed by a
member and seconded by another member.
Regulation 11:-
Election of officers shall be as provided in
Article IX of the Constitution, and voting shall be as provided in Article IX
(I) (d).
Regulation 12:-
In the case of a branch, a member shall not be
elected to an office who is in arrears of monthly dues and other levies.
FUNDS
Regulation 13:-
The fees payable by a member for enrollment,
membership card, monthly subscription, etc. shall be determined by the branch
to which the application has been made. Provided the provisions of Article XVII
of the Constitution shall, strictly be adhered to.
Regulation 14:-
A member shall not continue in office if he is
in arrears of monthly dues up to six months.
Regulation 15:-
A member who, without reasonable excuse, delays
or refuses to pay a levy imposed by the Union, shall be penalized with an
imposition of surcharge whose percentage shall be determined by the branch or
organ of the Union imposing the levy.
Regulation 16:-
The Zonal Executive Committee or the Zonal
Conference, the Central Executive Committee or the Annual General Council, shall
have the power to impose levies on branches, and such levies shall be paid at
the time stipulated for payments. A surcharge shall be imposed on defaulting
branches.