UNION OF GHANAIAN ASSOCIATIONS IN GERMANY (UGAG) ELECT NEWEXECUTIVE OFFICER

The Union of Ghanaian Associations in Germany (UGAG) e.V., founded in 2003, met for their annual National Representatives Council (NRC) meeting at a 3-day conference from Friday November 1, 2013 to Sunday November 3, 2013. The conference was hosted by the Ghana Union, Freiburg and was held at the youth hostel (Jugendherberge) in Freiburg, Germany. On the agenda for the conference was the National Executive Committee (NEC) elections which took place on Saturday November 2, 2013. A three (3) member electoral board comprising of past president Mr. Alfred Aganah, advisory board member Mr. Thomas Appiah and Ms. Laura Commodore, youth coordinator of Ghana Union Saarland was constituted to supervise the elections.

Nomination of candidates were received from all attending local associations for the seven (7) contested positions. The positions contested for were the office of president, office of vice-president, office of general secretary, office of assistant general secretary, office of financial secretary, office of organising secretary and office of assistant organising secretary. According to Chapter IV, Article 4 of the UGAG constitution every local association could and was expected to send 3 representatives to the meeting. Member local associations and representatives who attended the conference included Ghana Union Darmstadt (2 representatives), Ghana Union Cologne (3 representatives), Ghana Union Mannheim & Ludwigshafen (3 representatives), Ghana Union Stuttgart (3 representatives), Ghana Union Saarland (3 representatives), Ghana Union Karlsruhe (3 representatives), Ghana Union Bremen (3 representatives), Ghana Union Worms (3 representatives), Ghana Community Munich (2 representatives) and Ghana Union Freiburg (3 representatives).

After the close of nominations, all the contestants were each alloted 3 minutes of time to explain to the representatives what they intend doing if elected to the UGAG national executive committee.

The elections were fair, transparent and held under secret ballot. The results of the elected officers for the next two (2) years as announced by Mr. Alfred Aganah, the head of the electoral board were as follows;

1. Mr. Daniel Dake – President
2. Mr. William Nketia – Vice-President
3. Mr. Akwasi Opoku Edusei – General Secretary
4. Mr. Daniel Torkornoo – Assist. General Secretary
5. Mrs. Bertha Adjei Immendorf – Financial Secretary
6. Mr. Christian Yamoah Gyasi – Organising Secretary
7. Mrs. Joyce Diekmann – Assist. Srganising Secretary

All the above-mentioned elected officers openly accepted the results of the elections and thanked the representatives for the trust and honour imposed on them. A new Advisory Board comprising of Nana Cephas Bansah, Mr. Alfred Aganah, Mr. Thomas Appiah, Mr. Ato Anobil, Mr. Safo Kantanka, Mr. Jacob Aggrey, Ghana Cargo and Ghana Embassy was constituted. Unlike the the NEC who were secretly elected, the Advisory Board members were chosen by the NRC.

The 3-day conference in Freiburg was a big success. Three adhoc committees ((a.) Financial, (b.) Membership Drive and (c.) Youth Activities) were put in place to come out with proposals that would enhance the activities of the association.

By: Akwasi Opoku Edusei UGAG General Secretary

ADHOC COMMITTEE - FINANCE