Dear all,
Warm compliments of the new month, August.
I have the mandate of the National President to convey a tentative date and programme of events for the forthcoming National Conference/Annual General Meeting of BPW Nigeria scheduled to hold in Abuja on Nov 4-5, 2011.
Please note the following very crucial information; respective Club Presidents are particularly enjoined to promptly convey all received information to all their members, and take all necessary follow up actions accordingly.

1.Review of BPW Nigeria constitution-call for comments:

In a quest to streamline the BPW Nigeria constitution with the BPW International constitution, all members are enjoined to peruse the present constitution and send any desired amendments/comments thereon to the following members of the Constitution Review Committee:
a. Barr. Yemisi Aluko-Olokun - Abuja Club
b. Barr. Ajoke Aarinola Afolabi - Ekiti Club
c. Mrs Yinka Williams - YBPW, Lagos
d. Mrs Tinuade Oni-Ihama - past NationalPresident - Adviser.
Copies of the BPW Nigeria constitution would be mailed to all Presidents for onward distribution to all members as may be required. That of the BPW International can be accessed online and downloaded from the BPW I nternational website.
All comments/proposed amendments should be emailed to the following addresses on or before 10 October, 2011:
gbolajoko@yahoo.co.uk;
ritalorijoke@yahoo.com;
yinkawillss@ yahoo.com;
mclng1@yahoo.com;
bpwng@yahoo.com.

2. Dues
All outstanding dues and other financial obligations by individual members and the respective Clubs must be liquidated before or at the Nat Conf/AGM. Please bring along to the AGM all evidences of such payments for verification and account reconciliation.
2012 Dues must be paid latest on January 31, 2012. Please note that no non-financial member would be allowed to attend any international BPW or CSW event.
To facilitate the efficient performance of the reinvigorated African Regional Coordinator's secretariat, a newly introduced due of 5 Euros/member will take effect from the 2012 financial year.
It is also instructive that the dues for BPW International has been reviewed upwards by 50% to 15 Euros. Incidentally, BPW Nigeria had anticipated this, and had gone ahead to factor it into the current financial regime for the Federation. Additionally, it was resolved at the Helsinki Congress that an annual increment of 1 Euro per annum for three years will apply effective 2013 - 2015. At the end of that period, consequently, each member would be paying 18 Euros as international dues. Essentially, these increments are necessary to hedge against inflation as comprehensively discussed in Helsinki.

3. Annual Report
Every Club must send e-copies of their annual reports to the National President and National Secretary before the AGM as well as come along with hard copies to the Meeting. Such reports must include details of membership, activities for the year and plans for the next year.

4. YBPW
Every Club is mandated to strategize over the critical issue of instituting a viable YBPW structure in BPW Nigeria. All suggestions arising there from would be deeply welcome.

5. Club Structure
All Clubs must produce a veritable organogram, audited reports/accounts, bank accounts, annual reports, directories of members indicating professions or business orientations, etc. These are required to position BPW Nigeria on the right path to attract due visibility and funding when needed. Please seek all necessary help in these regards.

6. Miscellaneous
Every Club should send or come along with their 2012 Plans to the AGM.
Information flow is encouraged; please pass on to others all relevant information at your disposal at all times.
The criteria for membership would form a crucial subject of deliberation at the Meeting; so every member should collate their thoughts on the matter and if possible, integrate them with their submissions to the Constitution Drafting Committee.
The database for all BPW Nigeria members is being collated by Mrs Titi Adisa, President of Lagos Club who has graciously offered her expertise in this and other related activities. A format for this purpose will be sent to all Presidents. Please fill them and submit to her as soon as possible on: tytyadisa@yahoo.com.
A novel but significant activity at the AGM will be the Cervical Pap Smear Test organized for members. Take advantage of this opportunity.
WEPs - read up all you can on these principles with a view to suggesting potential awardees at the AGM during which the BPW Nigeria WEPs would be launched.

7. Interim Programme for the National Conference/AGM
Date: Nov 4 - 5, 2011
Venue: New Chelsea Hotel, CBD, Abuja
Theme: BPW Women Entrepreneurs' Conference
Sub - theme: Women in REAL Business
The theme finds relevance in the BPW Triennium theme of "Empowering Women-Leading Business".

Day 1

• Registration/Opening Ceremony
• President's Opening Remarks - introducing BPW, opportunities, challenges, etc.
• Constitutional Amendment/Ratification
• General Meeting
• Re-branding BPW Nigeria
• "My Story" - a personal success feature

Day 2

• Business Seminar: Business Ethics
• Basic finance for non-finance women business owners
• Growth strategies for businesses

Registration Fees: =N=10,000.00 (members) for Days 1 & 2
=N=5,000.00 (non-members) for Day 2 only.
Tentative Budget: =N=5,000,000.00 (Five Milliom Naira Only).
Each club is mandated to source some level of sponsorship towards the event.
Finally, please note that this programme of events is not final; more inputs are welcome from the various Clubs and individual members.

Thank you for your anticipated prompt attention.

Christie Adejoh Onucheyo
National Secretary.