MINUTES OF GHAJICT MEETING on 23 March, 2007 at BusyInternet, Ring Road

MINUTES OF GHAJICT MEETING on 23 March, 2007 at

BusyInternet, Ring Road

 

 

Present:

n               Mawutodzi Abissath, Ag. Executive Member

n               E.K.Bensah, Ag. PRESIDENT

n               Fred Sarpong, Ag. Public Relations Officer (Liaison)

 

ISSUES

1. Adoption of Minutes / Agenda
2. Membership dues
3. Fundraising opportunities (UNDP, etc)
1. GHAJICT Treasurer should immediately liaise with Kwami Ahiabenu III on this
4. registration of association
1. who will take lead on registration? What signatures needed?
2. which bank?—(ECOBANK)

                                                              i.      individual account for now / savings acct

                                                             ii.      can treasurer take care of this?

3. Fees (GHC150,000/quarter)

                                                              i.      Members can pay in advance/yearly

4. Possible date of launch?

                                                              i.      April-end? Or on World Information Society Day (Thu 17 May^[1])?

                                                             ii.      Coordination / basic communication strategy for launch:

1.      a hotel? BusyInternet? Kofi Annan-IT CE?

2.      which media outlets? Radio? TV? Print media?

3.       aob

5. BLOG Activity
1. Executive members and executive must maintain their blogs
2. We need “blog whip” to remind those GHAJICT members (http://ghajict.blogspot.com/) to keep up
6. Membership cards
1. Talk to Busyinternet

                                                              i.      Find out fees

                                                             ii.      cost

                                                           iii.      Let’s get them done

7. Communication Tools
1. GHAJICT now on blogafrica.com—available to African blogosphere
2. Blog exists—what can be improved

                                                              i.      Executive members should ALL be contributors

3. Ideas for website
4. newspaper

 

8. AOB

 

1. Adoption of Minutes / Agenda

Minutes and agenda were adopted

 

 

2. Membership dues

·         Registration will first be online

·         Anyone wishing to register must pay GH50,000 after registering online

·         Registration form will be put on the blog (President to take care of this)

 

3. Fundraising opportunities (UNDP, etc)
1. GHAJICT Treasurer should immediately liaise with Kwami Ahiabenu III on this

·         It was agreed that financial support would be necessary to springboard association

 

4. registration of association
1. who will take lead on registration? What signatures needed?

·         Treasurer (and, heretofore assistant) will lead on registration

·         Signatures needed are President/Vice-President/Secretary/Treasurer. Pls refer to constitution

 

2. which bank?—(ECOBANK)

·         it was agreed that ECOBANK was fine, and that it would be opened at RIDGE H/Q

·         individual account for now / savings acct

1.      savings account would be preferable, so as to accrue interest

·         can treasurer take care of this?

1.      Treasurer and assistant will handle this

 

3. Fees (GHC150,000/quarter)

·         Members can pay in advance/yearly

4. Possible date of launch?

·         April-end? Or on World Information Society Day (Thu 17 May^[2])?

1.      there was a proposal to launch association on WEDNESDAY 16 May, 2007. This is because it would be obstructive to have it launched after WIS Day on Thursday as the news might not be carried as association wants it!

 

·         Coordination / basic communication strategy for launch:

1.     a hotel? BusyInternet? Kofi Annan-IT CE?

a.       Kofi Annan IT CE would be prohibitive; BusyInternet is not a bad option

b.      PRO to coordinate this

2.     which media outlets? Radio? TV? Print media?

a.      ALL, including MetroTV

b.      Vice-Prez could get us on GTV

3.      aob

a.       GHAJICT Secretariat could be c/o International Press Centre

5. BLOG Activity
1.  agreed that: Executive members and executive must maintain their blogs
2. We need “blog whip” to remind those GHAJICT members (http://ghajict.blogspot.com/) to keep up

·         President to be provisional BLOG WHIP

 

6. Membership cards
1. Talk to Busyinternet

·         Find out fees- unassigned

·         Cost- unassigned

 

7. Communication Tools
1. GHAJICT now on blogafrica.com—available to African blogosphere
2. Blog exists—what can be improved

·         Executive members should ALL be contributors

3. Ideas for website

·         discussion to be postponed till further notice

4. newspaper

·         discussion to be postponed till further notice

 

8. AOB
1. RECOMMENDATIONS

·         Executive member Emily Aggrey was “promoted” to Assistant treasurer, given her proactiveness, and the proximity of GNA to Registrar-General

·         PRO to speak with BusyInternet boss about GHAJICT

o        Draw up a possible list of invitees—NO MINISTERS

·         Proposal for launch is 16 May, 2007

o        Potential venue: BusyInternet/International Press Centre

o        Media outlet

·         A letterhead for GHAJICT needs to be drawn up

·         Secretariat c/o GJA? GINKS?

 

Proposed next meeting:27 April, 2007 @ BusyInternet / GINKS?

 

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^[1] “Wednesday, 17 May 2006: First World Information Society Day

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held in November 2005, adopted the Tunis Agenda for the Information Society, which recognized that there is a need to build more awareness of the Internet. It specifically called upon the United Nations General Assembly to declare 17 May World Information Society Day. (http://www.itu.int/wisd/2006/index.html)