NATIONAL COUNCIL ON WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT ACT - 1975 (NRCD 322)

    • There shall be established a National Council on Women and Development (in this Decree referred to as "the Council").

    • The functions of the Council are:-

      (a) to advise the Government generally on all matters relating to full integration of women in national development at all levels;

      (b) to serve as the official national body for co-operating and liaising with national and international organisations on matters relating to the status of women;

      (c) to examine and evaluate the contribution of women in the economic, social and cultural fields, and to advise government as to the specific areas where participation by women may be strengthened or initiated;

      (d) to study the effect of customary beliefs, prejudices and practices on advancement of women in the education, political and economic fields, and to report to Government from time to time;

      (e) to devise a programme for the establishment of machinery and procedures to make possible the continuous review and evaluation of women's integration in the total development effort at local, regional and national levels;

      (f) to study plans and proposals for the establishment of large-scale non-formal education and training for the purpose of raising living standards in the rural and urban communities and eradicating illiteracy;

      (g) to perform such other functions as the Government may assign to the Council, or as are incidental or conducive to the exercise by the Council of all or any of the foregoing functions.

    • (1) The Council shall consist of the following persons:-

      (a) twenty persons, fifteen of whom shall be women with competence in areas of public affairs and women's activities;

      (b) a representative of the Ministry responsible for Education and Culture;

      (c) a representative of the Ministry responsible for Health;

      (d) a representative of the Ministry responsible for Labour, Social Welfare and Co-operatives;

      (e) a representative of the Ministry responsible for Agriculture;

      (f) a representative of the Ministry responsible for Economic Planning;

      (g) a representative of the Ministry responsible for Foreign Affairs;

      (h) a representative of the Ministry responsible for Information;

      (i) a representative of the Ministry responsible for Finance;

      (j) the Attorney-General or his representative;

      (k) a representative of the Establishment Secretariat.[As substituted by the National Council on Women and Development (Amendment) Decree, 1975 (NRCD 333), s.1]

      (2) There shall be a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman designated by the Government from among the members of the Council all of whom shall be appointed by the National Redemption Council.

      (3) The members of the Council other than the ex officio members shall hold office for a term not exceeding two years but shall be eligible for re-appointment.

      (4) Members of the Council other than ex officio members may at any time resign their office by notice in writing addressed to the National Redemption Council and the appointment of any such member may at any time be terminated by the National Redemption Council if it is satisfied that it is in the public interest so to do.

      (5) The office of a member absent from Ghana for a continuous period of six months or more shall become vacant at the end of such period.

    • In the event of the resignation or death of a member, or where the office of a member becomes vacant under subsection (5) of section 3 a replacement shall be appointed for the remainder of his term in accordance with procedure laid down in section 3 of the Decree.

    • (1) No member of the Council shall be entitled to any remuneration in respect of his membership.

      (2) The Council may however pay to members or to other persons attending meetings of the Council such travelling and other allowances out of the funds of the Council as may be determined by the Commissioner.

    • (1) The Council shall ordinarily meet for the despatch of business at such time and place as the Council may decide but shall meet at least once in every three months.

      (2) A meeting may be convened at any time on the direction of the Chairman, and shall be convened at any time on the written request of not less than two-thirds of the members of the Council addressed to the Chairman with a statement of the matters to be discussed and in the event of such a request the Chairman shall convene the meeting within 30 days of the receipt of the request.

      (3) The Chairman shall preside at every meeting of the Council and in his absence the Vice-Chairman shall preside and in the absence of both of them any member elected by the members of the Council present shall preside.

      (4) One-third of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Council.

      (5) Questions proposed at meetings of the Council shall be determined by a simple majority of members present and voting and in the event of equality of votes the Chairman or the person presiding shall have a second or casting vote.

      (6) The validity of any proceedings of the Council shall not be affected by any vacancy among its members or by any defect in their appointment.

      (7) The Council may at any time co-opt any person to act as an adviser at any of its meetings but no person so co-opted shall be entitled to vote at such meetings.

      (8) Subject to the other provisions of this section the Council may regulate its own procedure.

    • (1) The Council may appoint such committees consisting of such persons, whether members of the Council or not, and upon such terms as it thinks fit to advise the Council or exercise any of its functions.

      (2) The Chairman of any committee appointed under subsection (1) of this section shall be a member of the Council.

      (3) The Council may also seek advice, or otherwise consult any public body in the discharge of its functions and any such public body shall give such advice or render to the Council such assistance as the Council may require.

    • (1) The Council shall have an Executive Secretary who shall be appointed by the National Redemption Council upon such terms as it may determine.

      (2) The Secretary shall under the direction and supervision of the Council be responsible for the day-to-day management and administration of the affairs of the Council.

      (3) The Secretary shall arrange the business for and cause to be recorded and kept minutes of all proceedings of the Council and shall also perform such other functions of the Council as the Council may assign to him.

      (4) The Council shall also have such other staff as may be necessary for the efficient conduct of the functions of the Council.

      (5) The Secretary and other members of the staff of the Council shall be public officers.

    • (1) The funds of the Council shall include:-

      (a) any grant received from Government by the Council for the discharge of its functions, such grants being charged on the Consolidated Fund;

      (b) any moneys accruing to the Council in the course of the performance of its functions under this Decree;

      (c) any loans granted by the Government or any banking institution; and

      (d) gifts and bequests.

      (2) All sums of money received on account of the Council may be paid into such bank or banks as may be approved by the Council for the credit of the Council's general current or deposit account, so however, that the Council may invest as it deems fit, any moneys not required for current use.

    • The Council shall receive estimates of expenditure for each financial year from the Secretary appointed under section 8 (1) of this Decree and shall process such estimates and submit them to the Government for approval through the Commissioner.

    • (1) The Council shall-

      (a) cause proper accounts and other records in relation thereto to be kept;

      (b) prepare an annual statement of accounts in such form and containing such particulars as the Auditor-General may from time to time direct, or as may be required to satisfy its undertakings or engagements.

      (2) The Accounts of the Council shall be audited annually by the Auditor-General, who shall make a report thereon to the Government.

    • (1) The Council shall annually, not later than six months after the end of its financial year, prepare and submit through the Commissioner to the Government, a report on its activities during the preceding year.

      (2) The financial year of the Council shall be the same as that of the Government.

    • The Commissioner may by legislative instrument make such regulations on the recommendations of the Council as the Commissioner may think fit for purposes of giving full effect to the provisions of this Decree.

    • In this Decree-

      "Commissioner" means the Commissioner responsible for Foreign Affairs.