From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
North East Cooperative Society Forum (NECF) has commenced process of reviving about 28,000 dormant cooperative societies and unions in Borno State established some 30 years ago.
President of the forum, Abdullahi Jallo, announced at a press conference in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
Jallo said Borno, former headquarters of defunct Northeast State, was also in the past, centre of commerce in the zone. He expressed regret over the increasing poverty foisted on the state by the decade-long insurgency.
“We are here in Borno to revive these cooperative societies for the benefit of our people. We believe the revival of cooperative societies in the state will help cushion the impact of the current economic hardship in the country and poverty,” he said.
Chairman, Borno Cooperative Treasury and Marketing Union, Lawan Mustapha, said the move to revive the 28,000 cooperative unions in the state started following his complaint at a meeting in neighbouring Gombe State.
He disclosed the Cooperative Treasury and Marketing Union was established in 1958.
According to him, life in the state then was simple for workers, low income earners and traders as they used the opportunity provided by the cooperative consumer service to access foodstuffs and other household needs with payment settled with ease at the end of the month after receiving their salaries.
He said the collapse of cooperative societies in the state and years of economic dislocation caused by insurgency have, however, exacerbated the poverty level of the people.
He said revival of the cooperative societies will equally bring relief to the people and address poverty, hunger and unemployment.