CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES AS A VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION IN POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN AKWA IBOM STATE

CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES AS A VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION IN POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN AKWA IBOM STATE. (A STUDY OF ITAM MULTIPURPOSE COOPERATIVE SOCIETY)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The impact of co-operative societies in the reduction of poverty in Nigeria and globally can not be over emphasized.

“Robin (2011:119) defines cooperative

societies as an association for the primary

purpose of promoting its members and societal

 financial interest in that they participate

in the enterprise as consumers, suppliers”.

Any return over and above a normal returns remains in the business or be divided between the members on the basis of the volume of their business with the enterprise. None of their members have any personal liability for the enterprise liabilities.

“Long Rich (2013:592) in his book title:

 cooperative enterprises and poverty

 reduction in Ghana asserted that:

 cooperative societies are autonomous

 associations formed  and democratically

 directed by people who come together

 to share common economic, social and

cultural need”.

Founded on the principle of participatory governance, co-operative societies are governed by those who use their services: their members. Lonuge rich further expand that based on the principles of empowerment, education, and community, co-operative societies operate laterally in  promoting, participating on both with-in their own organization, and through a focus on community interaction and support. Over the years co-operative societies have long been recognized to play important roles in the societies that translate into the improvement of living condition of the masses. As well as their members particularly low-income earning cures of the population. Being voluntary, democratic and self offer the institutional frame work through which local communities gain control over the productive activities from which they obtain efforts and economic activities their live hood (OFEIL2011:14).

Participating members taps the energies of groups’ efforts and economic activities that they would not have otherwise been able to carry out on their own there by embanking their chances of improving their living conditions. It is for this reason that co-operative societies continue to be promoted in Akwa Ibom State in particular and Nigeria as a whole and other parts of the developing world as come of the preferred instrument for poverty alleviation.

“Hussi, Paul, Zazi, Mathew, and rose 2013 states

 that cooperative societies is primarily set up to

alleviate poverty among people because the

purpose of a cooperative society, is to meet

the common, felt needs of the members and

 the general public on social economic needs as

well as cultural aspiration of the individual

there by complementing the effort of government

towards the alleviation of poverty in the societies”.

Co-operative societies in Akwa Ibom state is aimed at receiving the policies towards reduction of poverty in the state in terms of the economics, cultural, social and psychological condition of both it’s members and the general public. It has also been noted that co-operative societies made tremendous efforts in drastically reducing the poor standards of living of the poor masses in the state.

“According to (Effiong, 2012)   He put it that

measures put in place by co-operative societies

 include, Encouraging the poor to save little

 money that be encountered, so that

 it may be conveniently solve the problems,

creating opening and viable avenues for

 the less privilege to benefit from government

grants, and any other credit facilities out side

 their places of work in order to enable them

solve immediate problems and others top

benefits from them, simulation of economics

 growth through the engagement of semi skilled

 and unskilled labor in Productive activities

 minimizing rural-urban drift through

the improvement of rural communities

and finally empowering the environment

in order to arrest environmental deregulation”.

In observance of the international day for the eradication of poverty in Nigeria, a panel discussion of the roles of cooperative in poverty reduction was organized by the division for social policy and development of economic and social affairs the purpose of he panel discussion was to highlight the important role co-operatives are playing towards achieving the millennium development goals (MDGS) of full and productive employment eradication of poverty, social integration and the advancement of woman. Speakers at the conference state that:-

“Cooperatives are work in almost every country

 of the world and economic sector. More than

 760 million people around the world are engaged

 in the cooperative movement. Whether a rural

cooperative in Benin which ploughs back upgrading

roads, or a saving and credit cooperative in

Sri lanka providing insurance and postal services

 to its members, a cooperative can play a significant

 role in fulfilling development objectives”.