1. Name of the Society | The name of the Society shall be “Ghana Geotechnical Society”, herein after referred to as the “Society”. |
2. Aims and Objectives | 2.1 The aims and objectives of the Society shall include: (a) to promote the study of geotechnical engineering and the related subjects, e.g. soil and rock mechanics; (b) to promote the development of the profession of geotechnical engineering; and (c) to disseminate knowledge in the field of geotechnical engineering. 2.2 The Society shall also function as “The Ghana National Society” of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), and shall co-operate closely with that body as well as the National Societies of other countries. |
3. Location | The Executive Committee shall determine the seat of the Society. |
4. Membership, Subscriptions | 4.1 Membership: Membership of the Society shall be open to all individuals and Institutions connected with or in the practice of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering or its application to practical engineering problems and who so wish to be associated, subject to Article 4.3. 4.2 Categories of Membership: (i) Institution Membership (ii) Individual Membership (iii) Associate Membership (iv) Student Membership 4.3 Qualifications for Membership: (i) Institution Membership shall be open to all institutions connected with Design, Research and/or Construction in the fields of soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering or any other activity for the promotion of the science as such. (ii) Individual Membership shall be for persons in the practice of soil mechanics and/or geotechnical engineering. (iii) Associate Membership shall be for those individuals who are not corporate members of the Ghana Institute of Engineers. (iv) Student Membership shall be open to all students of recognized degree/diploma awarding engineering colleges/institutions and pursuing programmes in soil mechanics and/or geotechnical. (v) Honorary Membership shall be open to individuals/organisations who have contributed significantly to the cause of the Society. 4.4 Subscriptions: (a) The annual subscriptions of the society will be for the calendar year and shall be due on the 1st January of each year. (b) The rates of subscription for the different categories of membership are given in the byelaws of the constitution. 4.5 Forfeiture of Membership: (a) A member may forfeit his membership if his subscription for any year is not paid by 31st December of the year to which it relates, and his name will be removed from the list of members. (b) Individual/Associate/Student members may only be re-admitted on full payment of all subscription in arrears. 4.6 Membership of International Society: (a) A member of the National Society, except student members, is an automatic member of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering as long as he is on the roll of the National Society and the Society itself remains in membership of the I.S.S.M.G.E. (b) The Society will send to the treasurer of the International Society by 31st January of each year the annual dues to that body, and as requested, an up-to-date list of members with their addresses and professional affiliation. In the event of any changes in the address of members, the Secretary shall be notified. 4.7 Application for Membership and Expulsion: (a) Application for membership must be made to the Secretary of the Society and be supported by at least one member of the society in good standing. The Executive Committee may accept or reject an application. Expulsion of a member for any reason shall be decided by the Executive Committee, but only after the reasons have been made explicit and the member has been given a fair hearing. |
5. Management | 5.1 The day to day management of the Society shall be in the hands of an Executive Committee composed of the following: (a) President of the Society (Chairman) (b) The immediate past President (Ex-officio member) (c) Two elected members from the Individual members (member) (d) One elected member from the Associate members (member) (e) Secretary of the Society (member/secretary) (f) The immediate past Secretary (Ex-officio member) (g) Treasurer of the Society (member). 5.2 If the immediate past President or Secretary are unavailable or hold positions that already qualify them as members of the Executive Committee, individual members shall be elected to fill those positions on the Executive Committee. 5.3 No single member shall represent more than one group on the Executive Committee. 5.4 The procedure for the election of members of the Executive Committee and other officers of the Society shall be regulated according to the bye-laws to this constitution. 5.5 The Executive Committee may co-opt two additional members to the Executive Committee without voting rights; one representing a branch of engineering not otherwise represented by the elected members, and the other representing Institution members. 5.6 The Executive Committee shall have all powers in the direction, management and promotion of objectives of the Society, and shall keep an up-to-date register of members. 5.7 The Executive Committee shall represent the Ghana National Committee for the Ghana National Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering in all business with the National and International bodies. 5.8 The term of office of members of the Executive Committee shall be two years, and may be individually eligible for re-election; the Executive Committee shall continue in office until the new executives are sworn into office. 5.9 The handing over and swearing into office of the elected Executive Committee shall be at an Annual General Meeting. The new Executive Committee shall immediately take over the conduct of the AGM to conclusion. 5.10 The Executive Committee shall be collectively and individually accountable to the General membership. |
6 Meetings of the Society | 6.1 Executive Committee Meetings The President, in consultation with the Secretary, shall convene an Executive Committee meeting at least three (3) times a year by giving notices to such effect not less than fourteen (14) clear days from the date of the said meeting to formulate policies for the progress of the Society. The quorum for the meetings shall be five (5) including the President and/or the Secretary. Once a quorum has been established, the meeting may proceed, deliberate and take decisions accordingly. Any decisions taken under such circumstances shall be binding on all members of the Committee. However, if at any time during such meetings the number falls below four (4) the meeting may proceed but no binding decisions shall be taken. Unless otherwise stated, decisions and/or resolutions of the Executive Committee at a properly convened and conducted meeting shall be adopted by a simple majority of members present and voting, and these shall be binding on all members. 6.2 General Meetings The Executive Committee shall convene an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of all members of the Society by giving notices to such effect not less than two (2) calendar monthsfrom the date of the said meeting. The AGM shall be called by the Secretary at the instance of the President; the quorum shall be 50% of all registered members in good standing; and shall include the President and/or Secretary. Business at AGM shall include formal business (including the discussion of the statement of accounts and budget for the following year), presentation and discussions of technical papers, symposia and other activities considered important in the fulfilment of the objectives of the Society. Once a quorum has been established, the meeting may proceed, deliberate and take decisions accordingly. Any decisions taken under such circumstances shall be binding on all members of the Society. However, if at any time during such meetings the number of the registered and paid-up membership falls below one-fifth (1/5) the meeting may proceed but no binding decisions shall be taken. Unless otherwise stated, decisions and/or resolutions of the AGM, properly convened and conducted, shall be adopted by a simple majority of members present and voting, and these shall be binding on all members. |
| 6.3 Emergency Meetings of either the Executive Committee or the AGM may be convened as and when the need arises. However, these may not substitute for the regular meetings, but will have to be conducted in accordance with 6.1 or 6.2 above unless otherwise specified. i. An emergency meeting of the Executive Committee may be convened upon request by at least four (4) members and after giving notice to such effect not less than seven (7) clear days from the date of the said meeting to the President. ii. An emergency general meeting may be convened upon request by at least one-quarter (1/4) of the registered and paid-up membership of the Society and after giving notices to such effect not less than one (1) calendar month from the date of the said meeting to the President. iii. The President, unless he is incapacitated, upon receipt of such a request shall within three (3) clear days for the Executive Committee or seven (7) clear days for a general meeting arrange for the meeting to be convened. iv. If the President refuses to convene such a meeting, after seven (7) days in the case of the Management Committee or fourteen (14) days in the case of the general meeting, upon receipt of the request the other members may arrange to hold the meeting without the President or his consent or knowledge. Decisions taken at such meetings shall be binding on all members of the Executive Committee or the general Society as the case may be, provided such a meeting has been convened otherwise meeting the criteria set in 6.1 and 6.2 above. |
7 Amendment of Rules | Amendments to rules shall be carried only: (a) at Annual General Meetings and for which the motion proposing the amendment(s) has been advertised at least one clear calendar month prior to the AGM; and (b) if 67% majority of valid votes cast are in favour of the motion. (c) Postal ballot of members in good standing may be accepted if received before the declaration of the results or the dead-line set for receipt of postal ballots, whichever is earlier. (d) Postal ballot may be by e-mail if appropriate arrangements have been made to receive such. |
8 Bye-laws | 8.1 To these articles shall be appended the byelaws. 8.2 The framing of and/or amendments to the byelaws shall be carried out by a committee of not less than three (3) members in good standing appointed by the Executive Committee. 8.3 The byelaws and/or any amendments shall become operative only after these have been approved by 67% majority of members attending a general meeting for which that is on the agenda. |
9 Privileges of members | Privileges of the various categories of members shall be regulated as per the provisions in the byelaws to the constitution. |
10 Finances and Accounts | 10.1 Funds of the Society The Society shall raise funds for pursuing its objectives through: (a) Subscriptions from members; (b) Sale of publications; (c) Grant-in-aid from government and Institution members; (d) Any other source of income, not intended to compromise the integrity of the Society, and approved by the Executive Committee. |
| 10.2 Bank Account (a) The Society shall maintain a current account with a reputable commercial bank into which all monies collected shall be paid. (b) All monies collected for and on behalf of the Society shall be banked intact. (c) Signatories to the Society’s Accounts shall be: i) the President, ii) the Secretary and iii) the Treasurer. However, cheques shall be valid if signed by at least two (2) of the above named officers including the Treasurer; no cheque shall be honoured if not signed by the Treasurer. |
| 10.3 Investments The Executive Committee may invest any of the funds of the Society on government securities or fixed deposits with a reputable commercial bank. Withdrawals from the invested funds shall be made only with approval of the Executive Committee. |
| 10.4 Accounts (a) The Secretary in consultation with the Treasurer shall present to the Executive Committee the budget for each year for purposes of approval. Calendar year will be reckoned for budget purposes. (b) The accounts of the Society shall be audited by a chartered accountant once every year, and presented at the AGM. (c) The Secretary is empowered to operate upon the funds of the Society subject to the general control of the Executive Committee, provided that the provision for any item of expenditure exists in the approved budget, otherwise his powers are restricted to ¢500,000 on any one item subject to subsequent approval of the Executive Committee. |
| 10.5 Financial Administration The general disburse and/or other forms of handling of the funds of the Society shall be in accordance with the Financial Administration set out in the Byelaws. |
11 Publications | 11.1 Publications The Society will issue an annual report, which shall contain the audited statement of accounts of the previous year and the Secretary’s report. |
| 11.2 Technical Publication The Executive Committee shall appoint an Editorial Board who shall arrange for the publication of periodic technical bulletins and other technical publications under the auspices of the Ghana Institute of Engineers. |
12 Collaboration with the International Society | 12.1 The society will arrange for adequate representation from Ghana at meetings of the International Society and may approach the Government of Ghana and other organizations for co-operation in this direction. |
| 12.2 Membership list published by the International Society every four years shall be forwarded to each individual/associate member whenever received from the International Society. |
| 12.3 The Executive Committee shall take steps to promote the contribution of papers to National and International Congresses. |
13 Duties of the Executives | 13.1 The Executive Committee shall present an annual report covering the National Society to the General Meeting. The report shall: i. reflect on the past year’s activities highlighting the achievements made and/or problems encountered; ii. project into the immediate future with clear indications of targets and proposals; iii. present a clear programme for achieving the set goals; and iv. present an annual statement of accounts, preferably audited. |
| 13.2 The President shall i. be the chief spokesman for the Society and shall provide leadership in the pursuit of the objectives of the Society; ii. call all meetings and chair all meetings for which he is present; iii. in consultation with the Executive Committee have the power to appoint sub-committees in pursuit of the objectives of the Society; iv. have oversight responsibility on all other officers of the Society; v. represent the Society in any legal suit preferred against the Society. |
| 13.3 The Secretary shall be responsible for the conduct of all correspondence of the Society; for the preparation and distribution of agenda of all meetings; and for the preparation and maintenance of the minutes of such meetings and reports thereon, and all other publications of the Society. 13.4 The Treasurer of the Society shall report annually, and at such other times as the Executive Committee may direct, on the accounts of the Society. He shall assist the Secretary in the preparation of the annual budget for presentation to the Executive Committee. 13.5 The Editor of the Society Journal shall be responsible for inviting papers, editing them and preparing them for publication. He shall also prepare abstracts of papers of interest to local geotechnical engineers for publication in the appropriate journal. |
14 Removal from Office | 14.1 The removal of any Executive Committee member(s) shall be governed only by the provisions of this constitution and following due processes. i Any petition seeking to remove from office any officer of the Executive Committee for stated reasons shall be directed to the President of the Executive Committee who shall, within twenty-one (21) days, convene an Executive Committee meeting to consider the petition. Only registered members in good standing may petition for the removal of any officer. ii The decision of the Executive Committee, although binding on all parties in the interim, shall be subject to review by the general membership in such a case. iii The President’s duty under 16.1 above shall be a positive one and any breach of the said provisions shall be added charges in respect of his impeachment (where he is a concerned party). iv The President may not chair any such meeting where he is directly affected. |
| 14.2 If any member of the Executive Committee misconducts himself in such a manner as to bring the Executive Committee and/or the name of the Society into disrepute, the member may be relieved of his position on the Executive Committee. 14.3 The Executive Committee and/or members of the Society asking for the removal of the member shall submit a written report explicitly stating the cause of the request to the adversely affected officer at least fourteen (14) working days before any meeting intended to determine his fate. 14.4 The adversely affected officer(s) shall be given adequate opportunity and time to defend themselves against the charges brought against him or them. 14.5 At the meeting to determine the fate of the adversely affected officer(s) the decision may be carried by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of members of the Executive Committee present and voting at a meeting properly convened for that purpose. |
15 Amendments/ Interpretation of the Constitution and Byelaws | 15.1 Any article(s) and/or clause(s) in this constitution may be amended and/or suspended for specific periods by the general membership when the need arises, but the reprieve, which the amendment/suspension seeks, shall not have retrospective effect. 15.2 Any such amendment/suspension shall be by a motion tabled and seconded, and carried by two-thirds (2/3) majority of members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting to be effective. 15.3 The amendment/suspension and what it seeks to achieve shall be explicitly stated and explained in a report, which shall be delivered to the Executive Committee and copied to all members of the Society not less than two (2) calendar months before the AGM at which such matters may be tabled and/or discussed. 15.4 The report (15.3 above) seeking the amendment/suspension shall be signed by not less than fifteen (15) other registered members in good standing. 15.5 The President, unless he is incapacitated, upon receipt of such a request shall within one (1) calendar month convene an Executive Committee meeting to consider the request. 15.6 At the AGM members may delegate the duty of amending the Constitution to a Review Committee set up for the purpose who shall endeavour to capture the agreed proposals. The Review Committee’s recommendations shall be presented to the Executive Committee for ratification and adoption, and who shall communicate same to all members. 15.7 In the event of a conflict in the interpretation of this constitution and/or the byelaws, a Constitutional Review Committee set up by the Executive Committee shall arbitrate, and their decision shall be final and binding on the contesting parties. |
16 Indemnity | Any member(s) or officer(s) who incur(s) any legal or other liabilities on behalf of the Society shall be indemnified out of the assets and/or funds of the Society, provided any such liabilities were incurred in the legitimate and legal performance of their duties as assigned to them under the provisions of this constitution for and/or on behalf of the Society. |
17 Caveat | Let ALL members know that “Any breach of common sense is a breach of this Constitution and the Byelaws”. |
Constitution