the fact that, it's been dormant for a lot of months now and that the WhatsApp platform is much more active and reaches every member. This might not be the right thread to chip this in, and as much as I hate to bring this up, WHY is the un-official so-called WhatsApp platform, which was neither created for us as a UserGroup by the WMF, in *any* way "much more active" than the mailing list? Why do I feel that is an intentional, deliberate approach to make that scenario come through? What happened to sending emails, via an email, using email? Whatever communications that happened within the WhatsApp group, now *no one* not part of the group can, *in no* way can verify. However, every communication on the mailing list, one can and will be able to verify. Every communication is archived for future reference. Yes, I can, because that's how it seems to have been schemed to go. The mailing list has *always* worked. Not sure why it's lost interest over time. Seriously, I find the WhatsApp group to be a distraction, considering those of us not part of the group can't know anything anymore, in terms of ongoing discussions. And we don't expect Asaf or Alex or Katherine to join *a* whatsapp group just to get informed on our activities. On Thu, Jan 18, 2018 at 7:15 AM, Justice Okai-Allotey &lt;owulakpakpo(a)gmail.com > Hello Raphael, > > Let me attempt to answer your questions with some of the facts I know > regarding this. So with the selection process Sandister sent this message > to the WhatsApp since most of our members are and active after we had > worked on our eligibility requirements. > > > *Happy New Year To Everyone* > > > > *Before anything else, Wikipedia turns 17 on January 15, 2018. There are > no special activities planned, it's just for your information.This year the > key theme will be local relevance – activities that are relevant to our > Ghanaian context, and relevant to our user group and relevant to our > contributors – with the underlying principle of working within capacity – > the capacity we have.* > > *It's going to be a fulfilling year.* > > *Schedules* > > *It is hard to give any schedules because our activities are planned > around when grants are approved and when they arrive.* > > > > > > *Due to late report writing and and lateness in returning unspent grant > money back to the group on the part of the Wiki Loves Monuments 2017 team, > we will have to wait to start anything this year.When WMF gives the green > light, I'll let you know. Activity guide* > > > > *I am putting together a guide for our work this year which will include > everything from pending events, WiR, upcoming travels, our annual and by > laws meeting meeting etc to help us all stay on the same page.Wikimedia > also nudged us towards Wikidata and Wikipedia New Readers – we need to do > more towards these.* > > *Travels* > > > > *Please take note of the > deadlines: Indaba: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiIndaba_conference_2018 > <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiIndaba_conference_2018>* > > > > *WMCON 2018: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Conference_2018 > <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Conference_2018>Wikimania > 2018: https://wikimania2018.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania > <https://wikimania2018.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania>* > > After this message was sent Sadat and Georgina were the only once who > expressed interest in wanting to represent the group. The selection was > made based on their interest and the criteria that has been stipulated by > the WMCON. > > So actually it should be Sadat and Georgina representing us so I don't > know why Georgina's name hasn't yet been put on there. > > the fact that, it's been dormant for a lot of months now and that the > WhatsApp platform is much more active and reaches every member. > > This are some of the things I know or privy to and not the official > position of the group. I expect you to get an official group position soon > on your concern. > > Best, > Justice. > > > > On Jan 18, 2018 2:46 AM, "Raphael Berchie" &lt;rberchie(a)gmail.com> > Hello everyone happy new year and a belated Wiki birthday to us all. > So I chanced on this https://meta.wikimedia.or > g/wiki/Wikimedia_Conference_2018/Participants%27_List and realized Sadat > is the one representing us at this year’s WMConn. Congrats to him I have no > shred of doubt that he will fully represent us and I have no problem about > his eligibility and competence. > My problem however is mode of selection. Was it decided us a community or > it was an individual’s decision because as far as I am concerned the > mailing list is the official place for having such discussions and I have > seen no such discussions here. > > Again in previous years we have had consultatative talks and we have all > known who was representing us so what changed this year? > > Lastly as a Usergroup we were allocated two slots for participation. How > come it is only one person. > > I need some answers. > > Regards > -- > *Raphael Berchie* > Co Founder Open Foundation, West Africa, Wikimedian > <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Ghana>,Open Advocate, Climate > Change Activist,Blogger <http://rberchie.blogspot.com/> > P.O Box CT 10469 > Cantoments Accra > Ghana > +233243882047 > Twitter@berchie4gh <https://twitter.com/berchie4gh> > Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/berchie> > Linkedin > <https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-berchie-32705822?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile> > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-GH mailing list > Wikimedia-GH(a)lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-gh > > > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-GH mailing list > Wikimedia-GH(a)lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-gh > >