Transcript Annual General Meetings in Kunene north Conservancies

Annual General Meetings
in Kunene north
Conservancies
Gary Nekongo
MET
August 2007
Current status
13 Registered conservancies in K north
 AGMs not held in 2006 or previous
 Reasons include:

– Members insisted on proper financial report
– Without Financial statements couldn’t go
ahead
– Lack of experience and training
– Saw feedback meetings as enough
– Committees not organised
– Quorums not met = meeting abandoned or
just GM held
 Support
agencies prioritised getting
AGMs going
 Consv aware that AGMs key for
communication & decision making
 Constitutions provide guidance but
more skills needed
Steps Taken
 Support
staff received training in
AGMs (TOT)
 Provided training to colleagues and
ensured support
 MET and IRDNC planned and
designed appropriate training
 Focused on 13 cons in 2 clusters
 Training to CC, TAs and other reps
(10 from each conservancy)
Participatory training given
 Big commitment to training in order to
hold effective AGMs
 Worked with conservancies to decide what
needed in AGM
 Worked tog on what reports should
contain
 Discussed and agreed on steps for key
issues:

–
–
–
–
Quorums
Elections
Decision making at AGM
Financial cycle & AGM timing
 During
training following done:
– Established schedule of dates (AGM
calendar)
– Decided on venues & plans
– Started work on plans & reports
– Drew up draft agenda,
– Established plans and logistic
arrangements
Results
 Four
AGMs held since Feb 07
 2 held on set date
 1 week late
 1 lasted several weeks
 2 postponed but groundwork laid in 1
and GM held in other
 Successful AGMs in Ehirovipuka,
Omatendeka, Sesfontein, Anabeb
 In
3 conservancies financial reports
presented and approved
 Audit reports presented in
Ehirovipuka (2 years)
 4 areas budgets presented &
approved
 All places Chairman's & NRM reports
 Elections conducted in Ehirovipuka
 Quorums in all areas
 Conservancies
proud, “competing”
 Members feel more ownership as
involved in decisions
 Conservancies attended and learned
from each others AGMs
 Planning smoother & quicker
 Greater transparency
 Better participation
Challenges Ahead
 Continue
to give support
 Build awareness of members:
– right & resp to attend
– How should behave
 Support
cons to have more
communication with members other
than just AGM
 Support cons leadership
Challenges Ahead
 Support
when TA or groups try to
“derail” process
 Assist conservancies to solve local
issues before AGM
 Continue support for financial
management = linked to AGM
That’s it
Thank You!