S/East, S/South groups urge FG to develop cooperatives

David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi

Consumer cooperatives in the South East and South South geopolitical zones have ended up their 4-day capacity building workshop with the resolve to develop cooperative industry in the two zones.

Arising from the workshop held at Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State, participants agreed that there was need for Federal Government to create a separate ministry of Cooperative, Rural Development and Poverty Reduction.

They said this would have a backing of National Assembly legislation and the ministry to be spread across the 36 States and Abuja.The participants noted that the establishment of Cooperative and Commerce Bank had become necessary for a vital development of the cooperative industry in the two zones.

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They said this would allow for easy access to funds for the members. “Federal Government should establish Marketing Boards that will put in place price control mechanism to reduce waste regulate cost of produce. There is also need to reduce monopoly of agencies or middle men,” they said.

The participants called for a ban on importation of local produce including palm oil to protect the rural producers.

They were of the opinion that cooperative education, especially among the rural farmers should be vigorously pursued by the State directors of cooperative.

They told Federal Government to encourage the services of professional bodies like the Institute of Cooperative Professionals of Nigeria (ICOPRON) , “which should be allowed to be registered.”