ORGANS

The following shall be organs of the Association:
i) The General Assembly;
ii) The National Executive Committee;
iii) The Branches; and
iv) The Standing Committees.

GENERAL ASSEMPLY

The General Assembly shall be the supreme organ of the Association. Its
decisions shall be taken by a simple majority of votes cast except where otherwise
specified in this constitution.

COMPOSITION

a)It shall be the assembly of registered members from the different Branches.
b) For purposes of voting, each Branch shall be represented by a maximum of five deligates.

c) Any branch not represented at the general assembly shall abide by any decisions taken.

POWERS

The General Assembly shall have the Powers to:
a) Examine and adopt proposals submitted by the Standing Committees and the
National Executive Committee;
b) Examine and adopt the Association’s budget and projects.
c) Pass a vote of no confidence on part or the entire National Executive
Committee, thus leading to a by-or new election as the case may be;
e) Decide on the dissolution of the Association;

FUNCTIONS

The General Assembly shall:
a) Define the general policy of the Association;
b) Adopt and amend the constitution;

c) Elect the National Executive and Standing Committees and oversee their
actions;
Approve the reports of the National Executive and Standing Committees;
and
e) Admit, discipline and dismiss members.

MEETINGS

a) The General Assembly shall meet in ordinary session once a year.
b) An extra-ordinary session of the General Assembly may be convened when
necessary at the initiative of the National Executive Committee of the
Honorary President.

THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

i) It shall be the Management Organ of the Association;
ii) It shall be elected by the General Assembly for a three year term renewable.

COMPOSITION

The National Executive Committee shall be made up
of:
a) The National President;
b) The National Vice President;
c) The National Secretary;
d) The National Vice Secretary;
e) The National Treasurer;
f) The National Public Relations Officer;
g) The National Financial Secretary;
h) A Legal Adviser.
iv)
a) The National Executive Committee shall implement the policies of the
Association in line with this Constitution.
b) It shall be answerable the General Assembly and may be voted out by
way of a vote of no confidence by a two-thirds (2/3) majority decision of
the latter, on grounds of gross inefficiency or mismanagement, or any other
gross violation of the Constitution.

FUNCTIONS

a) The National Executive Committee shall implement the policies of the
Association in line with this Constitution.
b) It shall be answerable to the General Assembly and may be voted out by
way of a vote of no confidence by a two-thirds (2/3) majority decision of
the latter, on grounds of gross inefficiency or mismanagement, or any other
gross violation of the Constitution.

THE HONORARY PRESIDENT

The Fon of Oku shall be the Honorary
President of OCDA. He shall:
i) Oversee the activities of the Association and serve as the General Adviser
to the National Executive Committee; and
ii) Convene the General Assembly, if the National President fails to do so, to
deal with the problem hindering the latter or elect a new National
President.
THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT SHALL:
i) Ensure the efficient running of the Association;
ii) Co-ordinate the activities of the National Executive Committee and those of
the Standing Committees;

iii) Propose a list of priority projects to the General Assembly for adoption;
iv) Convene and preside at all meetings of the General Assembly and the National
Executive Committee;
v) Be one of the signatories to the bank account of OCDA;
vi) Maintain a good working relationship with the Honorary President and the
administrative and traditional authorities;
vii) Present a yearly report to the General Assembly; and
viii) Approve projects and proposals from the Standing Committees prior to
submission to the General Assembly.

THE NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

THE NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT SHALL:
i) Assist the National President in the execution of his/her duties;
ii) Carry out the functions of the latter in his/her absence.

THE NATIONAL SECRETARY

THE NATIONAL SECRETARY SHALL:

i) Record the minutes of the General Assembly and of the National Executive
Committee meetings;
ii) Ensure the safe custody of records;
iii) Draw up the agenda for the meetings in consultation with the National
President; and
iv) Handle the correspondence of the Association

THE VICE NATIONAL SECRETARY

THE VICE NATIONAL SECRETARY SHALL:
i) Assist the National Secretary in the exercise of his/her functions; and
ii) Carry out the functions of the latter in his/her absence

THE NATIONAL TREASURER

THE NATIONAL TREASURER SHALL:
i)Ensure the safe custody of the Association’s funds prior to deposit into the
Association’s bank account;
ii) Publish on a quarterly basis OCDA financial statements; and
ii) Be a signatory to the Association’s bank account.

THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER SHALL:
i) Publicize the programs and activities of the Association through the press, the
OCDA website and other appropriate media;
ii) Project a positive image of the Association; and
iii) Carry out other duties assigned to hit the National President or the
General Assembly.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SHALL:
i) Keep a record of the financial transactions of the Association;
ii) Collect all the funds of the Association from the Fundraising Committee and
other sources and issue receipts thereof;

iii) Be one of the signatories to the Association’s financial transactions and the
bank account; and
iv) Present a yearly financial report to the General Assembly.

THE LEGAL ADVISER

HE LEGAL ADVISER SHALL: Advise the Association on legal issues.

BRANCHES

There shall be internal and external Branches of OCDA.
The different villages of Oku shall constitute internal Branches while organized
Groups of Oku people in other places shall constitute the External Branches.

FUNCTIONS

Each Branch shall:
i) Organize itself and be governed by the provisions of this Constitution. A
branch, for circumstances peculiar to it, may draw up internal rules and
regulations to guide its local operations. These shall be in conformity with this
Constitution;

ii) Enforce the policies of OCDA and work for the attainment of her goals and
objectives;
iii) Collect funds at branch level as part of the yearly OCDA fundraising, pay
same into the OCDA bank account and submit receipts thereof to the
Fundraising Committee
iv) Implernent the decisions of the
Assembly and the National executive comettee.

v) Submit yearly reports of their activities to the National Executive
Committee;

vi) Establish a yearly list of its members and submit same to the National
Executive Committee for the updating of OCDA membership; and
vii) Select delegates to the General assembly.

STANDING COMMITTEES

There shall be three (03) standing committees: the Projects
Committee, the Fundraising Committee and the Social and Cultural Affairs
Committee. Ad-hoc committees may be set up when necessary
DIVISION
Members of the Standing Committees shall be elected by the General
Assembly to which they shall be answerable.

THE PROJECTS COMMITTEE

It shall be made up of:
a) The Chairman;
b) The Secretary
c) Five Members
The Chairman of the Projects Committee may co-opt other persons as and
where necessary.

FUNCTIONS

The Projects Committee shall:
a) Design, cost and propose projects to the General Assembly through the
President of the National Executive Committee;
b) Call for, study and select tenders for the execution of OCDA Projects in
consultation with the President of the National Executive Committee;
c) Ensure the supervision and successful execution of OCDA projects.
d) Submit project evaluation and certification reports to the President of the
National Executive Committee for settlement.

THE FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE

It shall be made up of:
a) The Chairman;
b) The Secretary
c) Five Members

The Chairman of the Fundraising Committee may co-opt other persons as
and where necessary.

FUNCTIONS

The Fundraising Committee shall:
a) Conduct a census and establish a list of potential contributors nationwide
and abroad;
b) Draft, submit to the National President for signature, and ensure
distribution of letters of appeal for funds;
c) Identify other sources of funding other than yearly contributione
d) Organize the yearly OCDA fundraising event in consultation with the
National President and in collaboration with other Standing Committees;
e) Prepare and publish a detailed report of funds raised, and propose
recognition of contributors;

THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

It shall be made up of
a) The Chairperson
The Chairman of the Social and Cultural Affairs Committee may co-opt
other persons as and where necessary
FURICTIONS: The Social and Cultural Affairs Committee shallt
al) Organize Social and Cultural events;
Propose to the National Executive Committee ways and means to valorize
and sell tre muitture of Ckur a
d Document and disseminate the culture of Okm.