THE ROLE OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETY ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ABSTRACT

Cooperative societies started in 1844 by the Rochdate Equitable Pioneers. This movement spread over Nigeria around 1934. Today cooperative societies are one of the numerous forms of business organization in the world and it is considered as one of the important means of bringing about economic development to Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State. In Orhionmwon societies perform the role of distributing goods and services to their members, promoting unity, provision of goods and services among others, they offer assistance to farmers to improve the quality of their farm produce throughout careful grading and storage. Members are encouraged to produce the best by paying higher prices for high quality products. Up till date, the optimum potentialities of cooperative societies are yet to be fully exploited; this is due to constraints militating against cooperative societies. The possible recommendation is that at least all villages or clans in Orhionmwon Local Government Area should have cooperative societies another is that a cooperative bank should be created to solve the problem of lack of capital. Also, it is recommended that bank keepers, store keepers and auditors should be employed or trained to ensure effective management of the cooperative societies. Finally, there should be mutual trust within cooperative to ensure steady fast growth in cooperative movement in Orhionmwon Local government Area of Edo State.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1              INTRODUCTION

The world cooperative could be used in different ways. It means “working together” or ready to “help” and an organized kind of business organization. Cooperative as used in the first meaning is an oil as others. This is particularly in all rural area of the world. The gathering and the thrusting of each farmers harvest are often carried out by all neighbours joining together to help one another in a manner which though voluntary in a morally compulsory by tradition. In certain countries this same method is used for building of irrigations, reservoirs and ditches, putting up houses.

The second meaning of cooperative is known as a type of business organization. It is introduced to industrial and business lives in West Africa generally and the rural areas of Nigeria in particular. However, new cooperative in modern world in all the business entities. The British wholesales brokers and flour millers, the Africa farmer and palm kernel collectors, island fishermen and few others. These enterprises are formed with the common purpose of achieving a particular collectively which individual cannot really overcome with ease. The importance of cooperative development in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized. The cooperative society in any place must be conditionally by its economic pattern. Nigeria has an agricultural economy and cooperative was first developed.

The colonial administration in Nigeria started to organized cocoa farmers for the improvement of the products and for the purpose of obtaining higher prices for their produce consequently a report was prepared in 1934 on the need to establish a cooperative society in the country. In February 1936, the cooperative movement was officially launched in Nigeria, when the legislative council passed the cooperative societies ordinance.

From the above, one can say that the history of cooperative societies came to Nigeria fairly long time. At present, many types of cooperative are existing in Nigeria. They are as follows: agricultural produce, marketing societies, consumer’s cooperative societies. Some of these societies exist in Orhionmwon Local Government are of Edo State. It is very important to note that there is one area in which cooperative societies have played a term endours role, which is the establishment of a cooperative, school where auditors and inspectors are being trained to audit and inspect the activities of various cooperative societies to avoid fraud misappropriation of maladministration.

1.2   PURPOSE OF THE PROBLEMS

a.  What are the hindrances to the prospect of cooperative society in Orhionmwon Local Government Area?

b.  What is the contribution of people in Orhionmwon Local government towards cooperative society?

c.   What determine the extent of cooperative growth in orhionmwon Local Government Area and the various types of cooperative societies?

d.   What are the solution to the problems of cooperative societies in the economic development of Orhionmwon Local Government.

1.3   OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of this study are as follows:

a.   To define and trace the origin of cooperative societies in orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.

b.    To recognize the constraints and the possible solution of cooperative societies in orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.

c.   To identify the different types of cooperative societies in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State.

1.4   SCOPE OF STUDY

This study is limited to Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State. It examples cooperative societies in Orhionmwon Local Government Area from 2004 to the present date.

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