MINUTES OF MEETING HELD BY SPOSA AT THE GBC CLUB HOUSE ON 26/02/12

      The meeting was called to order by the President with Conqueror Derrick Alorkpa offering the opening prayer at 3:50 p.m. The Secretary read the minutes of the previous meeting.

MATTERS ARISING
      The House corrected that the amount agreed as welfare dues was GH¢10 instead of GH¢40 for a quarter. After this correction, Conqueror Samuel Doe Ablordeppey moved for the minutes to be adopted by the house. The motion was seconded by Conqueror Derrick Alorkpa.

ITEMS DISCUSSED:

1. LAUNCH OF WEBSITE
       The President announced that the SPACO/SPOSA website had gone live. He gave the web address as (www.spacospace.com).
He invited Conqueror Seth Otis Oteng, the Project Head (Technical) to give details. Conqueror Oteng took the House through what had been done over the last one month; briefed the house of how to navigate the site, and recounted some of the expected benefits of the website.
The website design team also included Conquerors:
                       1. Deti Daniel
                       2. Azumah Prince
                       3. Ayivor Frank
                       4. Mark Foster
      The Conqueror President announced a combined team of Technical and Content for the Second Phase of the Website Project. The two committees are to see to the standardization of the site. Conqueror Frank Kofi Ayivor heads the content component of the team, while Conqueror Seth Otis Oteng heads the Technical component. Other members of the team are Daniel Deti, Prince Azumah (USA); Emmanuel Weto, Pascal Kudiabor, Samuel Doe Ablordepey and John Galley. The President thanked the team and asked them to work very hard to achieve the targets set for them. He also entreated members to support them to bring the website up to scratch.

2.  DEBT
      Apparently, the Committee set up to ascertain school’s indebtedness to a computer supplier could not place its hands on any specific information regarding the status of the transaction. None of the team members was initially available but when Conqueror Selasi Dean, the leader of the team arrived he promised that members will be visiting the school on March 6, 2012 to meet with the headmaster for first hand information on the matter.
The leader was encouraged to be serious with the work so as to bring this matter to a close as soon as possible. Team members include Livingstone Ocloo, who was also the Head of Claims at the company holding SPACO for the debt. They promise to do a good job and close that page effectively.
3. The next item was the report by the welfare team led by Conqueror Prince Amuzu. After the report, a long discussion ensued and the following was agreed upon:

1. That a good standing member shall mean a member who has fully paid his/her dues both to the Welfare and the association at the time of the incident. However the President would have a discretion in granting a waiver to a member deemed to be active and hardworking, but who genuinely cannot meet the criteria set for benefits;
2. That the scope of beneficiaries should include the spouse of members;
3. That the welfare fund would be left to accumulate for a minimum of 6 months before we begin to start giving out benefits.

      A suggestion that donations should have a mix of cash and kind was, however, set aside with the explanation that the beneficiaries at that point would need liquid cash more than any form of gifts in kind. It was agreed that the updated welfare document be posted on the SPOSA webpage.

3. SPOSA PROJECTS
      The next issue was the project to be undertaken by SPOSA. Two projects came up for discussion, namely a Lavatory and a Dining Hall.
It emerged that the Ketu District Assembly had picked up the task to construct a new Dining Hall for the school and work would start within the year.
Conqueror Kokoroko, who had done some enquiries, presented his report to the house, giving the following breakdown:
Toilet with bathhouse                                    =             GH¢42,987.94
Without bathhouse                                        =             GH¢30,000.00 
Basketball Court (Low priority)                  =             GH¢7000.00
The President promised to launch the Toilet project by the next meeting

DISCUSSIONS: A member suggested that since we are in an election year, we can organize students to present a petition to the District Assembly for onward transmission to the government.
Another way is to send a journalist there for them to put the issues into their correct perspective.
A member wanted to know why we needed to take a project and what the role of the school would be. The President in his response stated that we had to do something that SPOSA could lay claim to. It also gives the association a voice in many issues.
It was agreed that the association will concentrate on one project so as to finish it before thinking of another one. The president however assured that the priority project was the lavatory, which happened to be the immediate need indicated by the headmaster of SPACO.
Another suggestion was that all year groups should be strengthened so that their executive would be co-opted into the executives for the purposes of executing projects and as and when the need arises.
As part of fund-raising efforts, a member suggested that the various year groups be levied. To this the President responded that we are in the process of forming viable year groups since we can hardly boast of solid year groups.
The key initiative this year is the membership/year group drive to which the president promised a lot of support in terms of launching [radio, news print etc] and admonished those present to identify leaders and start the year group agenda so that things can easily be done.
The President also mentioned that a Conqueror in the USA has promised some cash amount (details under wraps) in support of projects to be undertaken and will be finalizing with him within the coming weeks.
On recent developments in the facebook platform the President suggested that all communications be channeled through the leadership so that appropriate attention will be given each.

4. There was the issue of SPACO being rated a Category “C” which has since been reversed to category “B” by the GES. Every conqueror was asked to work hard to bring back the lost glories of mother SPACO.
However, the President promised an enquiry into the issue and findings would be shared for appropriate solutions to be applied.
The meeting was moved to a close by Conqueror Daniel Deti and seconded by Conqueror Foster Ahashie.
The school anthem was sung after which the closing prayer was said.
A total of 44 people were present at the meeting.
Conqueror Voice-Tozo Kokoroko took the minutes.