PREAMBLE

WE, Ghanaian residents and persons associated with Ghana, and our families living in and around the Municipality of Stockholm, Sweden;

INSPIRED by a common determination to strengthen positive cooperation and understanding amongst ourselves and the peoples of our adopted country, Sweden;

CONVINCED that, in order to translate this determination into a dynamic force in the cause of progress, conditions for fostering dignity, peace and security must be established and maintained;

HAVE agreed to this constitution this day ……..

Article I.  Name and establishment
Ghanaians and persons associated with Ghana and friends of Ghana resident in and around the municipality of Stockholm do by this constitution establish a non-political, non-religious and non-profit educational, cultural and  social organisation to be known as GHANA UNION, GREATER STOCKHOLM – GUSS, hereinafter referred to as the UNION.

Article II Aims and objectives
The union shall be a non-political organisation and will have the following aims and objectives:

1. to promote the good image of Ghana in the Nordic countries and elsewhere
2. to foster good and cordial relations among all Ghanaians and other Africans
3. to provide assistance to Ghanaian citizens where possible and necessary
4. to contribute to the promotion of Ghanaian culture and tradition,
5. to promote friendship, peace, and understanding between Ghanaians and Swedes
6. to contribute to the general development of our living environment in Sweden and in Ghana.

Article III Principles

The members of the Union, in earnest pursuit of the purposes stated in Article 2, declare their unflinching adherence to the following principles:

1. respect of the rights and equality of all members of the Union in all undertakings of the Union,
2. resist discrimination in all its forms that may be directed towards or against members of of thy union or the general community
3. engage in the peaceful settlement and arbitration of disputes between members by negotiations, mediation and reconciliation
4. as a union, affirm to the policy of non-alignment with regard to party politics in Sweden, Ghana or elsewhere.

Article IV Membership

1. Membership of the union shall be open to the following:

1. Ghanaians residing in Sweden,
2. Non-Ghanaian members of Ghanaian families resident in Sweden
3. Non-Ghanaians who have the interest of Ghana at heart
4. Persons who have show proven interest in Ghana and have been given honorary status

2. A member of the union will be considered to mean any of the above who has paid his or her annual membership fee.
3. Membership dues

1. members shall pay annual dues determined at a general meeting of the Union
2. to qualify for privileges of membership, a member should have paid his/her membership dues by the 30th of June every year
3. new members should have paid their membership dues not later than the third month of their joining the union or within three months of attending their first meeting.

Article V Rights and responsibilities

1. all members of the UNION shall enjoy equal rights before this before this constitution,
2. members shall pledge themselves to observe scrupulously the principles stated in ARTICLE III of the present constitution
3. any member of the UNION has the right to resign from the UNION without hindrance or coercion. Such resignation though shall be tended in writing to the executive council
4. only paid-up members shall be entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting.

Article VI

The union shall accomplish its goals and objectives through the following institutions:

1. the general assembly or meeting of union members
2. the executive council or committee
3. The Specialized Organs as under this article

1. a. The General Assembly or meeting of union members

The supreme decision making body of the union shall be the General Assembly or the General meeting of union members

ARTICLE VI     INSTITUTIONS
The UNION shall accomplish its goals and objectives through the following institutions:
            1.   The General Assembly or meeting of Union members
            2.  The Executive Council or Committee,
            3.   The Specialized Organs as under this article

1 a. The General Assembly or meeting of Union members
The supreme decision making body of the Union shall be the General Assembly or the General meeting of Union members

  2  a.  THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
The UNION shall be governed or run by the Executive Committee which shall comprise the following elected officers of the UNION

1. President
2. Secretary
3. Vice Secretary
4. Organising Secretary
5. Vice Organising Secretary
6. Treasurer
7. Vice Treasurer
8. Cultural Secretary

    b.     In addition so the above portfolios, the following NON-EXECUTIVE officers shall also be elected to the Executive committee or council
            i.   TWO AUDITORS
            ii.  PATRONS
            iii. LEADER OF THE CULTURAL TROUPE
 
    c.     On the advice of the Executive Council additional officers may be appointed by the General Assembly to the Executive council/committee.

    d.     i.  The Executive shall be elected for a two year term.
ii. The Executive Council shall have as a rule not less than four sittings within a 12-months’ period
iii. Members of the Executive Council shall have equal voting rights at all its meetings
iv. An individual member of the Executive may, in writing, resign from his/her post for assigned reasons in the course of the term of office
            v. The entire Executive may resign their posts in the course of their term of office
vi. A member of the Executive may be removed from office on a vote of no confidence in the course of his/her term of office by a two third majority of paid up members voting at a General meeting.

ARTICLE VI (1.e.)       ELECTION OF OFFICERS
            i.  All the officers of the UNION shall be elected by a simple majority except unopposed  candidates who shall need at least 51%  of the votes cast
            ii. Only paid-up members shall have the right to contest elections and /or vote
            iii. Members shall nominate themselves but such nomination shall be seconded by at least another member of the UNION. In cases where members nominate others, the consent of   such members must be sought first
            iv. Voting may be by proxy. A member’s vote shall, if necessary, be cast on his/her behalf by  another member provided an authority note is issued to that effect or the Electoral  Commission is informed prior to voting day. Spouses shall, however, exercise this privilege without limitation.
             v.    Where there is no winner in the first round of balloting, a second round shall be conducted involving only the two contestants receiving the most votes from the first ballot.