Anambra State Government Partners With Cooperative Societies For Development

The Government of Anambra State through the State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has affirmed total readiness to synergize with Cooperative Societies in the state for accelerated sustainable development.

The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Christian Udechukwu who made the disclosure while representing Governor Soludo during the celebration of 2023 International Cooperative Day in Awka the state capital, also stated that the synergy will boost agricultural production for food sufficiency in the state and the country at large.

“We will try as much as we can to make sure Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, (SMEDAN), development finance department of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bank of Agriculture are invited for active interaction and the Nigeria Export Promotion for those Cooperatives whose products need an export touch.

“Subject your activities to the supervision of our staff for the needed guidelines and articulation of your challenges in the course of carrying on your businesses. The Government will be there to assist where possible.

“This administration plans to
migrate government businesses online to assist the societies plan properly in order to avoid wastages and losses.

“The current administration is reviewing the cooperative law with a view of amending and expanding it to make capital available to the people of the state through the medium of cooperatives.

“We want you to multiply your productivity from one hectare to 100 or more. We’re ready to back you up with necessary equipment and funding to expand your productive capacity.

“I am aware that there are over 20,000 cooperative societies in the state. That’s good news. That shows our cooperative list is growing.

“We have e also trained about 4,000 youths under the one youths two skills programme, who are already being integrated into about 400 cooperatives being registered to join the professional cooperatives of the state.

“If we know what you’re producing and when you’re harvesting, we can arrange with those who can buy off your produce to meet you at your farm and pay you the amount that is profitable,” he concluded.

President, National Population Commission (NPC) Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Limited, Dr. Joachim Ulasi, lauded government for creating the platform, saying it has offered members opportunity to meet up with their financial challenges and make investments.

“A lot of us have been able to achieve a lot which ordinarily they would not have been able to achieve. Some have acquired lands, while others have built houses ahead of retirement.

“We commend young men and women who form themselves into cooperative farming and allied businesses and other productive ventures in the state,” Ulasi said.

While presenting their separate speeches, the Director of Cooperative Department of the Ministry, Mrs Nwabugo Okonkwo and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce and Industry, Honourable Eloka Maduekwe, said the cooperative societies would benefit from the government’s planned partnership designed to move citizens out of poverty.

According to them, the celebration was a wake-up to the call for joint effort towards achieving grassroot development.They charged the cooperators to focus, cooperate and always work in unity for the good of themselves, their families, their communities, the state and the country at large.

Okonkwo emphasized that membership to a cooperative society is not an avenue for sipping governments fund, but rather a means of assisting one another towards achieving collective goal.

They also disclosed that the event was meant to hold on July 1, 2023, but due to some Government engagement at that time, it was not celebrated then.

On his part, the Acting Board Chairman of Anambra Cooperative Credit and Marketing Union ACCMU, Mr. Evangaliza Okeke, who spoke on behalf of other Cooperatives, lamented the lack of financial assistance from the state government.

Mr. Okeke appealed to the state government to assist them in grants or constant patronage, training and re-training of members, encouragement, promotion and empowerment of vulnerable cooperative societies in the state.

However,the 2023 International Cooperative Day, was themed:“Cooperatives: Partners for Accelerated Sustainable Development.”

Food products were also exhibited at the event.

Olusola Akintonde