TPREAMBLE
The WOMEN IN AGRICULTURAL AND BIORESOURCE ENGINEERING (WABEN), was established in 2021, by the Council of Nigerian Institution Of Agricultural Engineers  (NIAE), under the chairmanship of Prof Alonge. WABEN is a division of NIAE which is a professional division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).  Hereinafter the association is referred to as WABEN.  This Constitution reflects the current status of WABEN with respect to NIAE and NSE as well as APWEN.

The takeoff was made of a 12-member committee of great and credible women in the profession with proven track records and strong mentors. This committee was further constituted to reflect the 6 geo-political zones of the country to ensure the visibility spreads throughout the nation.

Section 1:  NAME
The name of WOMEN IN AGRICULTURAL AND BIORESOURCE ENGINEERING (WABEN) is a DIVISION of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (hereinafter simply referred to as “WABEN” for short)

Section 2:  GOVERNMENT   governance

(1) The Association shall be governed by this Constitution and Bye-Laws or others which shall be made from time to time under the Constitution.
(2) The affairs of the Association shall be managed by the National Executive elected from its Corporate Membership, which shall have:

• full control of the activities of the Association subject to the limitations of this constitution and any amendment thereof.
• the power to recommend amendment or repeal of Bye-Laws and Rules in harmony with the Constitution to the AGM for discussion and decision.

(2) The Association may approve of or adopt any report, standard, code, formula, or recommended practice but shall absolutely forbid the use of its name, emblem, or mark of any form to indicate official or implied approval of any commercial work or business except to indicate that such work or business is in conformity with its standards or recommended practices.

Section 3: OBJECTS
The objects of the association WABEN shall be:

• To advance the role of women engineers in agriculture and the environment
• To increase the visibility of WABEN in the professional space.
•  To formulate and implement effective agricultural programs designed to enhance the skills and competencies of stakeholders (female agricultural engineers) contributing to food security in the country.

Specifically, the committee shall:

1. Mobilize and mentor younger female Agricultural Engineers and students and develop strategies for their advancement.
2. Develop strategies that address the challenges of women farmers and agro-processors.
3. Collaborate with national and International organizations helping African women in research, development, and farming. These agencies include:
4. The Association of Professional Women Engineers in Nigeria (APWEN),
5. Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA),
6. Africa Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD),
7. African Development Bank (AfDB),
8. Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT),
9. Third World Academy of Science (TWAS now OWSD), amongst others.
10. Mobilize funds for capacity-building programs and other activities and interventions of WABEN for women’s empowerment.
11. Develop and sustain effective and active relations with the industry, relevant institutions, community, media, and international agencies.
12. Perform other functions as may be delegated by the National Chairman and NEC of NIAE.

Section 4: MEMBERSHIP
(1) The corporate membership of the Association shall consist of Female Fellows and Members of NIAE.  Also, there shall be Honorary Fellows, Affiliate Members, Graduates, Students, and Corporate Firm/Company members.
(2) The rights and privileges of members shall not be transferable.
(3) Each financial corporate member shall be entitled to vote on any matter or issue before the. Association
(4) A financial member whether corporate or otherwise shall be that person who is owing not more than one annual subscription.
(5) Every person admitted to membership shall be subject to this Constitution and to any amendments that may be in respect thereof from time to time.

Section 5: QUALIFICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

(1) Members of all grades shall be elected by the National Executive or otherwise by the Council of the WABEN. The elected member must be confirmed registrable by NIAE and NSE.
(2) Any person in other disciplines who have contributed to the progress of technological advancement in the country in agricultural engineering can be elected an Honorary member of WABEN on the recommendation of the Council.
(5) A Corporate member shall be a qualified engineer with at least 2 years post-qualification experience in Agricultural Engineering.  She must be a graduate of a professional agricultural engineering curriculum (or its engineering equivalent) at a School of accepted standing.
(6) A Honorary member shall be a person of acknowledged eminence who must have made outstanding contributions to the profession of agricultural engineering.
(7) A graduate member shall be a person who is qualified academically for corporate membership but who has not yet had the 2 years of relevant post-qualification experience in agricultural engineering.
(8) A student member shall be an undergraduate or graduate student registered in a professional agricultural engineering curriculum (or its engineering equivalent) at a school approved by the Association.

Section 6:  FUNDS

The Association’s funds shall consist of the following:

• (a) Annual dues by members:

The annual dues for members in each grade shall be as provided for in the Bye-laws.  The National Executive may, by a three-fourths ballot vote of its members, change any existing schedule of annual dues, and may provide for payment of dues in installments.  No increase in dues shall be effected unless announced in writing to the members at least 3 months prior to the beginning of the period for which the increase is to become effective.
(b) Grants and loans from internal and external sources approved by the National Executive.
(2) The deposit, investment, and disbursement of all funds shall be subject to the directives of the National Executive

Section 7: THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

(1) The National Executive shall consist of twelve elected members including the Chairman, the Vice Chairman, and Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, the Financial Secretary, the Publication Secretary, the Publicity Secretary/Public Relations Officer, the Immediate Past Chairman, the Editor of the Association’s Journal and Two ex-Officio members.  (One being the Secretary of the next LOC), and zonal Chapter Chairmen.

(2) The National Executive shall hold Office for a period of 2 years
(3) Elections shall take place at the Annual General Meeting.  Each candidate shall be proposed and seconded by two corporate members.
(4) The National EXCO shall be responsible for drawing up the annual programme of activities of the Institution for approval by the Council of NSE.
(5) The National Executive may at any time whenever there shall appear to be sufficient cause, delegate to any corporate member of the Institution the performance of any duties required by the
(6) Constitution to be performed by any member of the National Executive.  The National Executive shall meet during or immediately after the close of the Annual General Meeting of the Association, and at such other times as the National Executive may deem fit, and at the request of the Chairman.  Five members of the Executive shall constitute a quorum.
(7) The National Executive shall provide for a complete yearly report of the Association’s affairs, which shall be presented at and form a part of the proceedings of the Annual General Meeting.

 Sectional 8:  OFFICERS
(1) The officers of the Association shall consist of Chairman, the Vice Chairman, the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer, the Financial Secretary, the Publication Secretary, the Public Relations Officer/Publicity Secretary, Technical Secretary, and Regional Chapters’ Chairmen.
(2) No member shall be elected into any of the above-mentioned offices for more than 2 consecutive terms.
(3) In the temporary absence of any officer due to unavoidable circumstances, the National Executive may appoint an Alternate Officer for the period of such an Officer’s absence.

Section 9:  MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION
(1) The meetings of the Association shall consist of an Annual General Meeting and any special Business meeting.
(2) The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held at such time and place as the National Executive shall appoint.
(3) A special Business meeting of the Association may be called at any time and place at the discretion of the National Executive.
(4) The Secretary shall upon a written request of five percent of the Corporate membership (as of January 1 of that year) call a special Business Meeting of the Association. (5) The notice of such Business meeting shall be sent out at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting and shall state the business to be considered and that no other business may be considered at the meeting.

Section 10:  ESTABLISHMENT OF CHAPTERS
The National Executive may authorize the organization of, State or Local or regional chapters composed of members of any or all grades, which shall operate under the provisions of the Constitution, Bye-laws and Rules, provided the membership is up to 40

The chapters will be coordinated by zonal coordinators appointed by the Council.

The zonal coordinators will oversee the activities of the chapters under their zones on behalf of the Council.

Section 11:  PUBLICATION AND PAPERS
The papers and publications of the Association shall be issued in such a manner as the National Executive may direct and subject to the provisions of the Association Bye-laws and Rules.

Section 12:  PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
(1) In all professional and business relations the members of the Association shall be governed by the Canons of Ethics for Engineers incorporated in the Bye-laws.
(2) Any member who has violated the provision or provisions of the constitution of the  or is found guilty of conduct unbecoming of a member may be expelled by two-thirds votes of the National Executive after he has been given an opportunity to be heard in his own defense, either orally or in writing.

Section 13:  AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

1. The National Executive shall have the power to order a revision of the Constitution as situations demand and propose the same for adoption in the form of amendments.  NEC’s recommendations shall be sent to members ahead of the AGM at which it is to be discussed and adopted, by a two-thirds vote of members present.

(2) Alternatively, at any business meeting of the Association, the National Executive and any member entitled to vote may propose in writing an amendment to any section of this constitution, provided the proposed amendment shall bear the endorsement of at least twenty corporate members.
(3) Any proposed amendment as in 13(2) shall not be voted on for adoption at the meeting but shall be open to discussion and modification, and to a vote as to whether, in its original or modified form, it shall be mailed to corporate members of the  Association for action.
(4) If the members present at the meeting, not less than twenty voting in favor thereof, shall so decide, then the Secretary shall send to each person entitled to vote, at least sixty days prior to the next Business Meeting of the, a copy of Association the proposed amendment as so decided by the said vote, accompanied by any comment of the National Executive.
(5) A ballot shall be sent with the proposed amendment, and the voting shall be a sealed letter ballot, closing at noon of the twentieth day preceding the Business Meeting of the Association following the sending.
(6) Adopting the amendment shall require a vote in its favor of two-thirds of the vote cat.
(7) The presiding officer at the meeting of the Association following the close of the ballot shall announce the result, and if the amendment is adopted, it shall thereupon take effect.

Section 14:  AMENDMENT
(1) Any changes in the order of numbering of the provisions of the Constitution, the Bye-laws and Rules necessitated by any amendment, shall be made under the direction of the National Executive.
(2) The National Executive shall direct the transition in the best interest of the Association in all cases where a change of practice necessitated by an amendment may best be effected over a reasonable period of time.
(3) This constitution shall take effect from the date of the adoption by two-thirds of the votes of members voting at an Annual General Meeting or a Special Business Meeting convened for its adoption or notice thereof.

Section 15:  TRUSTEES
(1) The Association shall have trustees who should take charge and look after properties
(2) The Association trustees shall be elected by the AGM
(3) Trustees’ tenure, which is renewable once, will be four (2) years.
(4) Whenever a vacancy occurs, a replacement will be elected during the next AGM
(5) The number of Trustees shall be five (5)

Section 16:  REGISTRATION OF ASSOCIATION PROPERTIES
The Association shall register all her landed properties with the appropriate authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.