Baraza: Bayelsa govt warns against protest at Government House

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Government has warned against aggrieved members of the Baraza Cooperative Society against protesting to the Government House as part of efforts to call for the state government intervention to resolve the logjam of payment

Baraza Cooperative until recently was the toast of residents of Bayelsa State and other states in Nigeria for his mouth-watering turnover on monthly investment until it ran into troubled waters and was unable to pay subscribers.

After several meetings and shifting of deadlines to commence payment, many of the subscribers are no longer comfortable with their investment trapped and want the government to intervene.

The Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ayibaina Duba, said in a statement that aggrieved members of the cooperative society should not drag the state government into a private venture.

Duba, who warned against any action that would comprise the security and peace in the state, advised that members of the cooperative should explore peaceful means to resolve all issues affecting the venture.

The statement reads in part:

‘It has come to the notice of the Bayelsa State Government that some aggrieved members of Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited are planning to stage a protest to Government House, Yenagoa on issues bothering on their investments with the cooperative.

‘Members of Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited are to note that the Cooperative Society is a private concern.

‘Government is neither a party nor a witness to the Cooperative’s activities and contract with its members.

‘Therefore any protest targeted at the state government in respect of the cooperative is ill-advised, misdirected and must not be carried out.

‘Rather than straining the public peace, aggrieved investors and the management of Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited are advised to explore peaceful means of resolving their issues. Furthermore, the government urges Bayelsans and residents to shun any act that could compromise the public order and security in the state.’