ABSTRACT
The study is to examine
the project titled “Co-operative Development and Government of Enugu State (A
Case Study of Oji River Local Government Area).
Co-operative
development is not the same in all countries as the researcher wants to find
out the extent government of Enugu State is involved in co-operative
development. The researcher further
divided this study into five chapters.
The background of the study, the statement of problem, scope and
limitation of the study, objective of the study, research questions etc. were
treated.
In chapter
two, literature review on past related works is discussed.
In chapter
three, the research is designed and methodology was discussed including the
population of the study, sample size, sampling techniques, method of data
collection etc.
In chapter
four, presentation of analysis and interpretation of data were discussed.
Finally,
chapter five deals with summary of the findings;
1.
Majority of co-operative societies members in Oji River were
female about 78% of the entire population.
2.
Most of the respondents are not well educated. Majority
attended primary education which constituted a serious set back for effective
management.
3.
The result of the survey, indicated that most of the
co-operators in Oji River are of old age.
4.
Loan statistics presented shows a fair recovery of loan
issued to co-operative societies (refers to table 4 in chapter 4).
5.
The poor management of co-operative societies in Oji River is
as a result of dishonesty on the part of the management committee) such as poor
record keeping.
Recommendation;
unless co-operative societies in Oji River Local Government introduce
incentives to attract the male sex. If not, it will be difficult to have a
meaningful change in socio-economics and cost of having people.
Capital
available for co-operative societies is not enough to encourage profitable
investment.
Conclusion: It is clear that co-operative societies in
Oji river was not been wildly equipped and it is not enough to make impact on
citizens of the area.
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE:
1.0
Introduction
1.1 Background
of the study
1.2 Statement
of the study
1.3 Objective
of the study
1.4 Research
questions.
CHAPTER TWO:
2.0
Literature Review
2.1 Meaning
and Definitions of co-operative societies
2.2 Development
of Co-operative in Nigeria
2.3 Role of
Government in Co-operative Development
2.4 Government Effort and Achievement in Oji
River Divisional Co-operative Council
2.5 Type of
Co-operative and their roles on development
CHAPTER
THREE:
3.0
Research Methodology
3.1 Population
of the study
3.2 Sample
and Sample size
3.3 Sampling
Techniques
3.4 Method of
data collection
3.5 Description
of data collection instrument
CHAPTER
FOUR:
4.0
Result and Discussion
4.1 Presentation
and Analysis
4.2 Sex
Respondents
4.3 Age
Respondents
4.4 Predominant
type of co-operative societies in Oji River
4.5 Source of
income for co-operative societies in Oji River
4.6 Loan
Statistics of co-operative societies
4.7 Educational
Status of Respondent
4.8 Reasons
for joining co-operative societies
4.9 Major
source of members
4.10 Benefit
Respondents Derived from co-operative societies
4.11 Problems
facing co-operative societies in Oji River
4.12 Suggested
solution to identified problems
CHAPTER
FIVE:
5.0
Summary and conclusion
5.1 Summary
of the finding
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
Bibliography
Appendix
I
Appendix
II
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
The major
attraction of co-operative organization especially in the developing area is –
it’s potentials for social change and improvement in the standard of living of
people or well being of the populace for example many government has devoted
numerous resources for the encouragement and improvement of co-operative
societies in rural and urban area to eliminate/ eradicate poverty among the
average citizen of the country.
Sometimes, the
government involvement is observed to the extent of thrift of co-operators from
self-reliance of the organization, instead of depending on government. Consequently, the objective of the movement
bring change in the economic development which Oji River Local Government
cannot afford to ignore than to become one of them. The members of the movement were benefiting
through the provision of the services, the instrument of social change and
transformation which will benefit the entire populace. Thus, the co-operative society has the
ability or responsibility over social economic development of the entire
economy.
Notwithstanding,
if such potentials are properly harnessed, the impact of this association will
contribute immensely to the economic development of Oji River Local Government
Area and as well as co-operative development of the area, this is the major
focus of this research.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:
The study on
this regard “Co-operative Development and Government in Oji River Local
Government” with the range of 1999 – 2004.
In the course of this study, the author Michael Kenechukwu is trying to
review the excess, other words, the effect and contribution of government to
co-operative of the area, Oji River divisional co-operative council.
All things
being equal, co-operative is as old as time immemorial to the extent that in
all engagement of human being in the world co-operative exist, think of
families you cannot have an organized family without co-operation among
themselves, war cannot be fought without co-operation among the group;
therefore, co-operative exist either informal or informal or formal organizations. But modern co-operative societies started in
the year 1844 in Great Britain, England by Rochdale Equitable Pioneers after
the pitfall of the earlier/pre-Rochdales in 1830’s co-operative societies as a
result of negative effect of their practices and industrial revolution which
rendered many people jobless because machines were introduced to replace human
labour such as farmland were bought only by the rich and noblemen therefore,
only the rich people could afford farming practices especially on a large
scale. There was the room for
subsistence farmer.
The prevailing
unemployment led to widespread of poverty and destitution of common man in the
society, had no house to live and had no cloth to wear because everything was
owned by the capitalist. The suffering
was terrible that people had to move from place to place, jumping from one job
to another, from one trade to another before they could feed their family. However, the rich were becoming richer while
the poor becoming poorer. The bad
maltreatment of the masses by the capitalist lead to intervention of people
that matters a lot as far as co-operative is concerned known as Robert Owen and
Dr. Williams King and Rochdale Equitable Pioneers in 1844. They are the father of modern co-operative
societies as well as the touch bearer of co-operative which passes the touch of
co-operative from one generation to another, their mission in co-operative was
to eliminate/reduce corrupt practices and suffering of the masses in their
untold condition, nevertheless, the co-operative development in Oji River
divisional co-operative council started in the year 1976 when co-operative
ministry implement their policy of taking over the formal eastern Nigeria
co-operative training institution, Enugu, which still remain Federal
Co-operative College located at Awgu now re-located at Oji River Local
Government Area, Enugu State. But before
the above mentioned institution for co-operative, there are many traditional
societies in their communities, towns, which had no legal backing or legal
recognition. These societies include
viz:
·
Egbebele Ugo Women Organisation
·
Onyemalu Nwanne ya Organization
·
Oga-adimma Organization
·
Oganiru Age Grade Organisation
Most of these
organizations mentioned above fold-up because they have no legal recognition. Notwithstanding, following the establishment
of the three (3) Federal Co-operative Colleges in Nigeria located as follows:
(a) Federal Co-operative College, Ibadan
(b) Federal Co-operative College, Kaduna
(c) Federal Co-operative College, Oji River, Enugu State, the aim
of these established institutions by the Federal Government in collaboration
with ministry of co-operative is to produce position co-operative
experts/co-operative extension officers that will help in disseminating
information on co-operative matters, moreso, impacting co-operative ideologies,
principles, practices, culture and norms in all nooks and corners of the rural
areas. The idea of this sector brought
about full knowledge of co-operative societies in Oji River L.G.A.. They started with six (6) autonomous
communities in that area stated as follows:
1. Oganiru Achi Farmer
Multi-purpose Co-operative Society (OAFMCS) Limited.
2. Akpugoeze Farmer
Multipurpose Co-operative Society (A.F.M.C.S.) Ltd.
3. Igwebuike Farmers Multi-purpose
Co-operative Society (IFMCS) Ltd, Inyi.
4. Ugwuoba Women Multipurpose Co-operative Society (UWMCS) Ltd.
5. Awlaw Farmers Multipurpose Co-operative Society (AFMCS) Ltd.
6. Ekemma Women Multipurpose Co-operative Society (EWMCS) Ltd.
However, the
above co-operative societies in Oji River divisional co-operative council excel
in their business due to hard working and painstaking effort among the members,
almost all of them were successful in their respective business they work
relentlessly with co-operative spirit.
The record of
their achievement according to the data available in the course of this study
shows that there is increase in type of co-operative societies, increase in the
membership strength and increase in business of co-operative societies of the
area. They had the record of an increase
in the different brand of co-operative societies right from the 1998 –
2004. The societies in that area
increase from six (6) to hundred and sixty-five (165) that call for study on
this regard.
Other salient
factors responsible for poor co-operative development in Oji River divisional
co-operative council were stated as follows below:
1. Lack of awareness:
The awareness about co-operative is not enough, most of the people in
some communities of Oji River Local Government due to poor awareness campaign
on mass media such as television, radio, co-operative journal, newspapers and
magazines etc.
The co-operative experts and extension agents has a lot to do in
dissemination of information about co-operative societies, to lecture than on
the meaning of co-operative societies, the principles and practices of
co-operative, norms and values as well as the benefit they are going to derive
after joining co-operative societies (co-operative effect).
2. Lack of Trust Among Some Co-operators: Most of co-operators failed to fulfill their
promises to some communities in that area, moreso, officers discriminate each
other in terms of differences in communities or towns, race, tribe. Under this arrangement, it discourages non-members,
staff and government in participating in co-operative activities. Thereby decrease the rate of co-operative
development of the area.
3. Abandonment of Co-operative Projects: Most of co-operative project were abandoned
and lack of revisitation of projects as a result of mismanagement of resources
by some staff. In Akpugoeze for
instance, co-operative societies in that area abandoned their farms and oil
mail at Nkwere-Inyi, Oji River L.G.A. and other cumulated misconducts that are
responsible for poor participation of non-members and government in
co-operative development.
4. Lack of unity among the clans: The co-operative development in Oji River
always sustain misinterpretation and conflict with the communities thereby
hindered the effort of co-operative officials of the area.
5. Poor Support from State Government: It is observed that co-operative societies
existing within Oji River divisional co-operative council, otherwise their
affiliates did not receive enough support from the state government. Such support like fertilizers, tractors,
pesticides, fungicides, herbicides etc and other incentives like grants, and
subsidies.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY:
The study on
this regard, co-operative development and government was designed to access and
ascertain co-operative societies existing in some autonomous communities of Oji
River Local Government Area. Such
communities like Achi, Inyinese, Omeire, Awlaw, Akpugoeze, Ugwuoba autonomous
communities all in Oji River, Enugu.
The research
work also covered the whole parts of Oji River Local Government area to
determine the effectiveness of co-operative and government in development of
co-operative societies in Oji River from 1999 – 2004. The study also extend to some institutions
mentioned but few co-operative unit/ministries, Federal Co-operative College,
Oji River, Institution of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu and at Enugu
State University of Science and Technology (ESUTECH) to call forth some useful
ideas.
LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:
As the
research on this topic focus on co-operative development, there some rural
sector of the Local Government. The area
have the deficiency of most basic infrastructural facilities like pipe borne
water, market, such areas in Oji River like Inyinese, Awlaw, Achi and Akpugoeze. But the deficiency of some parts of the Local
Government is due to non-challant attitude of the personalities of these area
and neglect of the inhabitant.
Oji River
Local Government does not have good motorable road especially road that lead to
Achi, Inyinese, Awlaw and Akpugoeze which lead to rapid increase and exorbitant
price in the transportation fees and other difficulties as a result of these
problems. It deserted people to move
from rural area to urban area in search for better job opportunities and some
other pleasurable things of life in urban areas.
Above all,
poor financing of co-operative business enterprise is the most emphatic factor
responsible for the pitfall of the co-operative development in Oji River Local
Government. Almost all co-operative
societies in that area depend mainly on internal financing co-operative
societies both Registered and unregistered co-operative societies. The registered co-operative societies were
eighty (80) while unregistered societies were eighty-five (85) despite
proceeding achievement of these societies, there are some notable set-back
facing both registered and unregistered co-operative societies. These problems were ranged from office
accommodation for co-operative societies in the local government. Secondly, there was no proper structure for
co-operative societies in the local government.
Thirdly, for implementation of
most government policies and programme.
Finally, there
had been poor provision of farming facilities for co-operative societies in Oji
River Local Government Area in terms of grants, subsidies, loan and other
incentives.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM:
In Oji River
divisional co-operative council of Enugu State, about 70% of the total population deeply engaged on
peasant/subsistence farming and small scale business enterprise. It is only about less than 30% of the
population engaged in white cola job/office work, therefore, for farmers to
thrive in Oji River Local Government Area according to the experiment of fact
conducted in Oji River divisional council within the range of 1999 – 2004 there
is a great need for them to organize themselves as a group; “co-operative
society, to increase the productivity level, since, co-operative stand on a
better chance to mechanize agriculture.
Therefore, farmers should do all they can, to organize themselves as
co-operative society to enable them progress in their agricultural
operations. Such benefit is like getting
loan easily from any financial institution at a cheaper rate of interest
without unnecessary protocol such as collateral security with the aid of
Certificate of Registration. They will
obtain loan easily especially, on co-operative banks, agricultural banks,
Nigeria Agricultural Co-operative and Rural Development Bank (NACRDB) moreso,
as a group they can get inputs like fertilizers, tractors, pesticides, and
other incentives like grants, subsidies, etc poor participation of government
in co-operative development like share capital, entrance fees of members,
deposit from members, donations from cheerful giver, reserve etc, which is very
bad for co-operative society who wants to make impact on co-operative business
and societies who want to grow.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:
The study on
this regard has its significance which focus on development of co-operative
societies in Oji River Local Government, the degree of Government participation
in co-operative matters, with special reference to Oji River Divisional
Co-operative Council in terms of management of co-operative societies under
their control. The sole aim of this
studies is to review the condition of co-operative development and to provide
materials for the successor as well as the beneficiaries (undergraduates
students) of Co-operative Economics and Management of Institute of Management
and Technology, Enugu in their academic pursuit.
It will also
serve as a policy guide in the local government depending on those who made
their carrier on co-operative field, and for those who have interest on
co-operative thought. Nevertheless, Oji
River Local Government has its potential resources for co-operative sector and
non-co-operative sector of economy, such as:
(a) Police College: The Nigeria Police College was established
for training of forces on disciplinary actions to maintain peace and order in
Oji River and nation at large.
(b) Federal School of Health and
Technology: The School of Health was
instituted in Oji River Local Government for training of nurses and it is
equivalent to combat diseases and sickness in Oji River.
(c) Federal Co-operative
College: One among the three federal
co-operative colleges in Nigeria through the joint effort of Government and
Ministry of Co-operative experts in all co-operative professionals especially,
on technical issues, for them to help farmers in the rural areas of Oji
River.
(d) National Electric Power
Authority: The electrical power
authority was established in Oji River to take the responsibility of
electricity supply in sundries of Oji River Government.
(e) Natural Pure Water: This was known as (water worse). It is naturally pure and minor potentials
which serve as yardstick to the neighbouring Local Government and state at
large. However, co-operative is very
important especially during the period of state and federal government wants to
use co-operative as a spring board in implementation of their policies and
programme at the grassroot level.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
The following
questions were designed for my investigation and inquiry in Oji River
divisional co-operative council states as follows:
1.
Are there existing co-operative societies in the local
government area viable enough to contribute to co-operative development?
2.
Are there enough co-operative societies in the local
government?
3.
What are the factors that have hindered the effective
mobilization of co-operative societies in order to enhance co-operative
development in Oji River?
4.
What service members drive from the existing societies
(co-operative effect).
5.
On what aspect has co-operative societies have intervened on
economic conflict of Oji River Local Government to enhance development at the
grassroot level.