THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF WOMEN CO-OPERATIVES TO WOMEN’S ACCESS TO CREDIT IN NIGERIA. A CAST STUDY OF SELECTED WOMEN COOPERATIVES IN UMUAHIA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

ABSTRACT

This research work was undertaken to examine and analyzed the contribution of women cooperative to women’s access to credit in Nigeria in a selected women cooperative in Umuahia North L.G.A.

In this work, a sample of two distinctive cooperative which involve themselves in carrying out some activities such as farming, processing, marketing production of loan and women access to credit activities in the economy were studied farmers multipurpose cooperative societies. This work covered a period of six years from 2002 to 2008.

The data were mainly collected through field survey with questionnaire and personal interview directed to respective societies, the researcher also used secondary data to source for the information used. The researcher finding revealed the contribution of women cooperative to women’s access to credit in Nigeria through numerous activities in which they engage in, but it was also revealed that there are some clung in the wheel of their progress. These ranged from erratic changes in government policies and programs, poor funding in promotional effort, lack of access to credit, insufficient cooperative education and awareness to inadequate capital mobilization by societies.

Based on the finding of the researcher some recommendation were made on how to panacea and eradicate this in carrying out their economic activities towards women contribution and access to credit to the financial institution in Nigeria.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page –      –      –      –      –      –      –      –      i

Certification    –      –      –      –      –      –      –      ii

Dedication      –      –      –      –      –      –      –      iii

Acknowledgment    –      –      –      –      –      –      iv-v

Abstract –      –      –      –      –      –      –      –      vi-vii

Table of Contents   –      –      –      –      –      –      viii-x

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction    –      –      –      –      –      –      –      1

General Over View of the Study     –      –      1-3

Statement of Problems   –      –      –      –      4-5

Objective of the Study   –      –      –      –      5-6

Scope of the Study        –      –      –      –      –      6

Hypothesis      –      –      –      –      –      –      6

Significance of Study     –      –      –      –      6-7

Limitations of the Study        –      –      –      –      7-8

Definition of Terms        –      –      –      –      –      8-10

CHAPTER TWO

Literature Review    –      –      –      –      –      11

The Nature of Women Cooperatives      –      11-13     

The Concept of Access of Credit    –      –      13-14

Women’s Access to Credit in

Developing Countries     –      –      –      –      15-19

Women’s Role in the Economy      –      –      19-22

Types of Co-operatives Formed by Women   22-24

Cooperatives and Access to Credit        –      –      24-26

The Importance of Women Co-Operatives    26-29     

references      –      –      –      –      –      –      29

CHAPTER THREE

• Research Methodology   –      –      –      –      30

3.1  Introductions  –      –      –      –      –      –      30

3.2  Research Design     –      –      –      –      –      30-31

3.3  Sampling Design    –      –      –      –      –      32-33

3.4  Methods of Data Collection    –      –      –      34-35

3.5  Procedure for Processing Data       –      –      –      35-40

CHAPTER FOUR

• Presentation and Analysis of Data  –      –      41

4.1  Presentation of Data      –      –      –      –      42-48

4.3  Test of Hypothesis –      –      –      –      –      48-51

CHAPTER FIVE    

• Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation 52

5.1  Summary       –      –      –      –      –      –      52-53

5.2  Conclusion      –      –      –      –      –      –      53

5.3  Recommendation    –      –      –      –      –      54-55     

       Appendix        –      –      –      –      –      –      –      37

       Bibliography    –      –      –      –      –      –      56-57

CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1  GENERAL OVER VIEW OF THE STUDY

One of the constraint face by Rural Women economic advancement in Nigeria has been blamed by a school of thought on the inability of Nigeria women’s to embrace co-operative way of doing business Helm (1965). This is because cooperatives are one of the most effective vehicles for organizing rural production.

The paper aims to analyze the effectiveness on the contribution of women cooperative to women access to credit as a method of advancing the development of women in Nigeria gender analysis is utilized to explain the disadvantage and marginalization of women in the cooperative. It is noted that Nigeria women access to credit receptive to cooperatives, which are made attractive to them by engaging in topics pertinent to women’s development, such as access to credit, training, economic, health and education activity and advancement of women’s participation in the cooperative movement.

Cooperatives are not only the most suitable organization and frame work for accelerated rural development but they are veritable instruments for assisting women in the achievement of increase output of farm products for instance, in the procurement of farms inputs like fertilizers, improved seeds and seedling, credit as well as in the product storage and marketing.

The international bank mission which student and reporter on the Nigeria economy in 1954 appreciated this favourable social climate when it said “we think full support should be given to cooperative as valid for economic organization fully compatible which Nigeria tradition and social sentiment (Onuha 1978).

The contribution of women cooperatives to women access to credit more especially women cooperative where rural women would be actively involved in the development of their own area. However given the fact that Nigeria is developing nations oriented on the unrestrained capitalism, the question then is how these women cooperation can help the women access to credit to improve their economic social educational culture and political status, then provide growth and development.

The enthusing and spirit with which some women embrace the formation of cooperatives in Nigeria especially in Umuahia North local government area of Abia state has shown the contributions of women cooperative to women access to credit develop conscious and quite willing disposed to pool their resources together in order to improve their living standards, it is therefore necessary to ascertain the role of women cooperatives especially in Umuahia North local government area which the expectation of women has not been easily meet which lead to apathy among women towards their cooperative societies.