Co-operative And Economic Development [a Case Study Of Oji-river Local Government Area 2000-2004]

CO-OPERATIVE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

[A CASE STUDY OF OJI-RIVER LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA 2000-2004]

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The major attraction of co-operative organisation especially in the developing areas and it’s potentials for social change and improvement in the standard of living of people or well being of the population for example many government has devoted numerous resources for the encouragement and improvement of co-operative some time the evolvement of government is carried out to extend of thrift savings emphasis of co-operative from self-reliance of the organization, instead of depending on the government consequently, the objective of the movement consequently, the objective of the movement bring change in the economic development which Oji-River is one of them, members’ of the movement were benefiting through the provision of the movement were benefiting through the provision of the services, the instrument of social change and transformation which benefits the entire populace. Thus, the cooperative society has the ability or responsibility over social economic development of the entire economy. If such potentials are properly harness, the impact of this association will contribute immensely to the development of Oji-River local government area and this is the major focus of this particular research.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In developing country like Nigeria and some other countries they provides the social, economic needs of the people, self-help and self-reliance effort should be seen as the most effective source of economic development of the rural area are efficiently and effectual source of economic development of the area.

          Through the communal effort, the people will pool their resources together for cooperative ventures, their values, social amenities could improve their quality of life or standard of living of the people. Self help effort improves the standard of living of the society. But self help effort could only yield positive result, if the community is blessed with good leadership, readily to sacrifice time, moral and energy to mobilize the people the people to embark on economic project.

          Many communities in various state of Nigeria lack patriotic leadership to mobilize people so help themselves. Leadership is the most essential aspect of development of a nation, local and states, the society must have a good leadership quality that will enable them to coordinate the affairs of others rather than mobilizing people for self help project such as community development than looking to government for everything this the desire of the turnout.

          Most of government in recent times, Nigeria is not an exception have recognized the important of co-operative as a potent means of production and also machineries for improvement of the standard of living countries like in Germany, Sweden, India etc few realize this objective earlier mention. The stages of development we should give cooperative much attention in Nigeria, government states and local have realized that cooperative are good agent of economic development. However, these cooperative potential is an important instrument for social transformation still a lot of constraints and bottleneck, which ought to be looked into critical better economic result. It is a fact that intensity of cooperative involvement in the main sector of the economy has increased considerably. Government also credit agricultural facilities as a machineries of technical service to the economic development of rural farmers.

These agricultural cooperative also assist this rural farmers to  make their produce to the best advantage and through the organisation aspect, these farmer learned the modern system of mechanization.

Primary cooperative societies in the rural area ensure steady supplied of goods from indigenous manufacturing companies. State apex consumer cooperative to ensure steady and adequate supply of essential goods to the rural people.

Having cooperative movement in rural communities were also in long run minimized the problems of house. It is quite impossible for them to provide housing accommodation for her entire population.

          Marketing cooperative societies also play a vital role in the development in rural areas. They ensure that the bargain better and high price for the product of the farmers and not only that, but also endure proper sales of the produce of the farmers.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

This research work will be successfully exploratory in their case of study/sought how best to improve rural areas of Nigeria with particular reference to Oji-River Local Government Area of Enugu State.

For a developing society, to develop it need the entire mobilization of people most societies have recognized these facts, therefore various government are looking for institution that can be engaged to assist in this task. Cooperative societies seem to make good chance to help in that direction.

KUNLE BOLASADE; cooperative and its role in the economic development, guardian 12^th August 1999 page 24.

In short it can be seen that cooperative society can help in the transformation of our economy in rural settings by human relationship which include attitude of most of the rural people toward life, work and growth and being self reliance and resourceful and help improving the basic social infrastructures.

One of the problems facing them is environmental. They are operating as this as a result of poor development of the rural area. They lacked the basic infrastructural facilities and also people in the rural setting of Oji-River local government area are mostly illiterates and this and this makes risk of cooperative society very difficult. 

The cooperative society also has financial problems due to the fact that most of the members are from rural areas. Since these members are poor, they find it difficult to get financial assistance from financial institution which they need to finance their project on the enterprise because of insufficient collateral security. They mostly depends on the government grants.

Again mismanagement, and lack of good leadership is another headache facing many cooperative society due to illiteracy and poor educational background of the management committee and members of the societies at large, the efficiency of the society is very poor.

          Morever, as a result of this problem facing cooperative they find it difficult to transform our rural settings. Therefore, this research is concerned with solving the problems of cooperative and economic development of Oji-River local government area and Nigeria at large.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

This research is being conducted in order to gather useful information regarding the unprecedented impact of operative in the transformation of both human and economic material resources of the rural areas of Oji-River local government area of Enugu state.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study covers the whole area of Oji-River local government area, which determines the effectiveness and contribution of cooperative towards the economic development of Oji-River from 2000 to 2004. The rural section is deficient of the most basic infrastructural facilities like road, pipe borne water, markets, hospitals, electricity supply etc. Stores in the rural area of Oji- River local government such as Achi, Inyi, Awlaw and Akpugoeze and some parts at Oji-River urban (wonderful).

          Oji-River local government area does not have good motorable roads especially roads that leads to Achi, Inyi and Awlaw, Akpugoeze which leads to rapid increase in the transportation fees and other difficulties. As a result of this problem people desert the own and some move from the rural area to urban area to search for better job opportunity and serve other pleasurable things of life in urban area.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study ha its significance focusing on the proper management of cooperative towards the economic development of Oji-River from 2000 to 2004 and the importance of beneficiary participation in the project.

          The study will also serve as policy guide in the local government depending on those who have interest on cooperative and economic development of Oji-River local government. Though the town has its non-potentials both cooperative state and non-cooperative state as follows;

1.     POLICE COLLEGE: For training of police in the local government and Nigeria at large.

2.     FEDERAL SCHOOL HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY: For training of nurses and its equivalent in the local government.

3.     FEDERAL CO-OPERATIVE COLLEGE: For the training of cooperative experts in all cooperative professions such as extension workers in the rural area of Oji River local government area.

4.     NATIONAL ELECTRCAL POWER AUTHORITY OJI RIVER: The electrical power authority is responsible for constant electricity in all sundries.

5.     GOOD NATURAL PURE WATER: This water is naturally pure and some other minor potentials which also served as a yard stick by neighbouring local government and state in general. However cooperative and economic development is very important especially during the period when the federal government and state wants to use cooperative to the implementation of economic development at the grass root level.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study was effectively and successfully carried out in Oji-River.

The following questions were responsible for my investigation scheduled as follows:

1.     Are their existing cooperative societies in the local government area viable enough to have contributed significantly to the economic development of the town from 2000 to 2004.

2.     Are there enough viable economic development in the local government area of Oji-River from 2000 to 2004.

3.     What factors have hindered the effective mobilization of cooperative and economic development of Oji-River local government from 2000 to 2004.

4.     What services have members of existing cooperative societies done towards the economic development of the area from 200 to 2004.

5.     On what aspect has cooperative societies has interview in Oji-River local government area etc.

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