CONSTITUTION OF WEST AFRICAN DIVISION OF INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF PATHOLOGY

IAP-WA or WADIAP
Constitution
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The West African Division of the International Academy of Pathology was founded as a Division of the International Academy of Pathology (IAP) which itself was originally known asthe International Association of Medical Museums
by Maude Abbot at the time it was founded in 1906. It later assumed the name of International Academy of Pathology in XX.
The new Division was ratified by the IAP Council during the IAP Centennial Celebration in Montreal, Canada in September 2006.
Membership was originally drawn from the West African countries of Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia, all Anglophone countries. In XX (Year), for inclusiveness, , it was decided that pathologists from the francophone West African countries of Cote dVoire, Senegal, Guinea, Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritanea etc.
PROPOSED CONSTITUTION RATIFIED AT THE BUSINESS MEETING OF
THE DIVISION
THURSDAY 14 JULY 2005
CONSTITUTION

1. ARTICLE 1 – NAME
2. ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
3. ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
4. ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS, COUNCILLORS AND EXECUTIVE
   COUNCIL
   BYE-LAWS
5. ARTICLE I – MEMBERSHIP AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP
6. ARTICLE II – OFFICERS AND COUNCILLORS
7. ARTICLE III – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
8. ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS
9. ARTICLE V TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS
10. ARTICLE VI CHANGES IN THE CONSTITUTION
11. ARTICLE VII CORPORATE SEAL
    CONSTITUTION
    ARTICLE I – NAME
    This society shall be called the West African Division of the
    International Academy of Pathology (IAP-WA) hereinafter called the West
    African Division of the International Academy of Pathology.
    The geographical extent of this division shall be Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia,
    Sierra Leone,The Gambia, Cote dIvoire, Senegal, Guinea, Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritanea.
    ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
    The aim of the society shall be to promote the advancement of pathology in
    West Africa by:
    a. Improvement of methods of teaching pathology in medical schools,
    laboratories, hospitals and medical museums.
    b. Promotion of research in pathology and histopathologic/ tissue processing techniques.
    c. The formation of national divisions.
    d. Publication of journals, newsletter and reports for dissemination of the
    results of work in the above fields.
    e. Convocation of meetings and congresses for exchange of scientific
    information and ideas.
    ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
12. Membership shall be international in scope and shall consist of Ordinary
    members, Senior members, Junior members, and Honorary members of the
    West African Division.
13. Members will be elected by the Executive Council following nomination in
    writing by two members and the candidate’s application shall be
    accompanied by a letter of recommendation from each of the sponsors.
    Election to honorary membership shall be by the approval of the International
    Council upon written recommendation from a division.
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    ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS, COUNCILLORS AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
    The officers shall be:
    President
    Immediate Past-President
    President-Elect
    Treasurer
    General Secretary
    Meetings Secretary
    Membership Secretary
    Nigerian Associate Editor of ‘IAP-WA Newsletter’ (hereinafter called the
    Associate Editor).There shall be one (1) councillor who should be a pathologist from any of the
    West African Countries participating actively in the Division.
    One person may hold the offices of Secretary and of Treasurer at the same
    time and shall, when this occurs, be known as Secretary-Treasurer
    The officers, the councillor and the past-president shall constitute the
    Executive Council.
    Country representative
    There shall be a representative from each of the member countries.
    BYE-LAWS
    ARTICLE I – MEMBERSHIP
14. Members shall normally consist of those who possess a registrable medical
    qualification and are following a career in pathology in the first instance.
15. Members of good standing who retire from active practice may elect to be
    Senior Members by payment of a reduced annual subscription. Such members
    will be given the option of continuing or discontinuing to receive the
    Newsletter or Journal when this becomes available for which they will pay.
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16. Persons distinguished for eminent services to medicine and especially to the
    cause of pathology and to this Division may be made Honorary Members by
    the approval of the Executive Council.
17. Junior membership will be open to trainees who have passed their part I
    membership examination.
18. The annual subscriptions of the Division shall be fixed by the Executive
    Council and shall be payable in advance. Members whose subscriptions are
    two years or more in arrears may be disqualified from membership at the
    discretion of the Executive Council.
19. Honorary Members shall be exempt from subscriptions and are eligible to
    attend all meetings of the division.
20. Continuation of Ordinary Membership of the Division by persons domiciled
    outside Africa for more than two years will only be permitted in exceptional
    circumstances and at the discretion of Council.
21. Each member country shall receive annual dues from members and remit 60% of such to WADIAP annually while 40% goes to the country representative. Such collections shall be utilized for the activities of the organization

Facilities/ Location of the Secretariat
Permanent Secretariat: There shall be a permanent secretariat to be domiciled in a location to be decided at a duly constituted AGM. WADIAP shall acquire landed property in a suitable location to be managed by a Chief Executive Officer and other complimentary staff members.

Temporary Secretariat: WADIAP shall maintain her temporary secretariat in the location of the current General secretary of the division. Such secretariat shall consists of an office space, furniture, computer and other materials required for efficient functioning of the division.

Organization of Annual General Meeting & responsibility of LOC
AGM shall be held in member countries every 2 years.
Member countries shall bid for hosting right at the preceding AGM.
A Local Organizing Committee to organize such meeting shall be constituted by host country
The LOC shall be chaired by the Country Representative; who will be the chief accounting officer
The LOC shall be free to determine registration fee, advertisement rates etc
The LOC shall have full responsibility to decide the theme, subtheme, free to invite guests and speakers with appropriate consultation with the WADIAP secretariat
Invited speakers and guests shall be remunerated as deemed appropriate by the LOC
The LOC shall remit 60% of the profit of the AGM to WADIAP not later than 3 months after the AGM
A written report of the AGM shall be presented at the next AGM. Such report should have been submitted to the secretariat not later than 6 months after the AGM

Responsibility of the Secretariat during AGM
The secretariat shall provide necessary assistance to the LOC in the organization of AGM
WADIAP shall give a seed grant to the LOC (amount to be decided) for the organization of the AGM; such amount shall be remitted immediately after the AGM but not later than 3 months

Membership Drive
Member countries shall carry out programs to increase awareness about the division and to encourage new members to join. Stands would be set up at national and international meetings to showcase the activities of the division.
Induction ceremonies shall be organized for new fellows each year within 3 months of the Annual convocation of the postgraduate medical colleges.
Member countries and national bodies within the division would be encouraged to organize workshops for trainee pathologists.
List of prospective members shall be forwarded to WADIAP secretariat and such can be so advised to formally join following the necessary steps.
Such new members shall be formerly inducted into WADIAP at the AGM
ARTICLE II – OFFICERS AND COUNCILLORS

1. Officers and Councillors shall be nominated by any member of the division in
   writing to the Secretary at least one month before the Annual General
   Meeting, provided the consent of the nominee has been obtained.
2. The term of office of the President and the President-Elect shall be for two
   years. The term of office for the Secretaries, Treasurer and Associate Editor
   shall be for three years and they shall be eligible for re-election for another
   term of 3 years, after which they shall not be eligible for re-election into the
   council until a further period of three years. Councillors shall serve for a
   period of three years and shall not be eligible for re-election as Councillors
   until after a further period of five years. Country representative shall serve for a period of three years with the option of renewal for a second term only.
3. The Council shall have power to co-opt any member of the society to attend
   Council meetings but the co-opted member shall not have the power to vote.
4. The term of office of the Council shall begin as from 1 January the year
   following election.
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   ARTICLE III – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
5. The Executive Council shall formulate policies and shall authorise
   disbursement of the Division’s funds for ordinary business.
6. The President, President-Elect, Treasurer, General Secretary, Meetings
   Secretary, Membership Secretary and Associate Editor shall discharge the
   duties usually assigned to these offices. The council shall appoint such
   permanent and temporary committees as are necessary for the proper
   administration of the Division’s affairs.
7. The Secretaries shall submit to the Executive Council reports of all
   transactions since the last meeting, and the Treasurer shall submit a duly
   audited financial statement. He shall also submit an estimated budget for the
   approval of the Executive Council.
8. The Secretaries, with the aid of appropriate committees, shall arrange all
   meetings.
9. Country representative shall coordinate the activities of WADIAP in member countries and shall submit reports of such activities to the Executive council. He/she shall coordinate the organization of WADIAP conference if such is to hold in the members country.
   ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS
10. The meetings of the society shall be held at the call of the President at such
    times and places as are decided by the Executive Council. At least one
    meeting a calendar year shall be held.
11. The programme of the annual meeting shall consist of three (3) parts.
    o a The Executive Council shall meet before and after the business
    meeting of the Division and take action on such matters as are brought to it.
    o b The business meeting of the Division will include the Secretaries’
    report, the Treasurer’s report, the election of officers and Councillors, and
    consideration of such business as may be required.
    o c The scientific meeting.
12. The Executive Council may be called into extraordinary sessions by the
    President to transact such business as necessary to meet emergencies. The
    Executive Council may co-opt interim officers or councillors, to fill vacancies
    occurring by election, resignation or death. All actions of the Executive
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    Council under these circumstances are taken in the name of the Division and
    the Secretary shall notify members of such actions.
13. Members may introduce guests at the scientific meetings providing the
    appropriate registration fee is paid.
14. The election of these officers and councillors and their duties shall be as
    provided for in the bye-laws.
15. An extraordinary meeting of the division may be called by 3 (three) members
    of the executive council or 2/3 of ordinary members to address the specific
    issue for which the meeting was summoned.
    ARTICLE V – TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS
16. A quorum of the Executive Council shall consist of four (4) of whom at least
    two shall be an officers.
17. A quorum at a business meeting of the Division shall consist of Ten (10)
    members, of whom at least one shall be an officer.
    ARTICLE VI – – CHANGES IN THE CONSTITUTION
    Amendments to the constitution and to the bye-laws shall first be submitted
    to the Secretary in writing for consideration of the Executive Council. The
    proposed amendment and the recommendation of the Executive Council shall
    be submitted to the membership either at the business meeting or by
    correspondence. A two thirds majority vote of those present at a business
    meeting, or of those voting when polled by correspondence, shall be required
    for adoption of the proposed amendment.
    FINANCIAL MATTERS

ARTICLE VII Corporate Seal
There shall be a corporate seal which shall consist of two concentric circles
and between the inner circle and the outer circle shall be the words “The
International Academy of Pathology, Inc.” and in the center there shall be
pictures of the lamp of knowledge, of a microscope resting on a book, of the
globe and at the bottom “I.A.M.M. 1906,” an impression of such seal being
made on the margin of this page.
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The IAP-WA will have TWO main scientific and academic activities in a year.
The first is the IAP-WA Mid Year Teaching Programme to hold in June and
will be a Workshop on a selected topic of practical utility targeted mainly at
trainee and young Pathologists. The second in the month of December to be
the IAP-WA Annual CME which would be on a topic of current interest or
new frontiers and developments in the field of Pathology to include a Guest
Lecture by an invited foreign speaker, a Slide Seminar and a Symposium on
preselected topics. This Meeting can be held in conjunction with the Annual
National Conference of the Association of Pathologists of Nigeria
(ASSOPON) for the convenience of members, many of whom are members of
both Associations.
The IAP-WA will also have its own Newsletter, the IAP-WA Newsletter,
released twice a year in January and July, which keeps the members abreast
with the activities of the Division as well as other important news of the IA