From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has assured that Nigerian youths will be trained and engaged as managers and participants in the country’s modern cooperative societies, as part of efforts to revitalize the sector to meet global standards.
Senator Abdullahi gave this assurance during a two-day capacity-building workshop on cooperative reforms for trustees, management committees, and managers of cooperative societies from the South East and South South zones. The event was held at the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River, Enugu State.
Speaking during a panel session titled “Youth Engagement and Involvement with the Cooperative Movement: The Way Forward,” the Minister emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to including young Nigerians in leadership and productivity through cooperative structures.
Answering questions during the panel session tagged,”Youth Engagement and Involvement with the Cooperative Movement:The way Forward, Senator Dr Aliyu Abdulahi disclosed that he has tasked the Federal Ministry of Youths to work out a strategy to ensure young operators summit of Nigerian Cooperative societies is held before the end of the year.
He stressed that the present administration led by President Bola Tinubu is highly interested in capturing Nigerian Youths to play leading roles in both leadership and productive sectors of the economy, as path of the measures to enhance food security and create jobs that will grow the economy
He disclosed that his ministry is working out a Cooperative society model where every participant would have equal say,stating the training/workshop is a continuous process geared towards modernizing the operations of Cooperative societies in Nigeria in line with global standard.
Earlier in his key note address, the Agric Minister(state) and food security explained that over one billion people all over the world are members of different Cooperative societies and that the Agricultural sector has over 35 percent as members.
In his mission towards revitalizing the Cooperative societies in Nigeria to play important roles in growing the economy, he said the capacity training workshop has been conducted for the managers and other stakeholders in the Northern stakeholders at Kaduna,while that of the South West zone of the country will hold on 29th and 30th of April.
Thereafter, attention will be focused on the Young Operators summit,the Agric.minister disclosed.
“Together with the Federal Cooperative Colleges and other universities,we are working out a system that will enable Cooperative societies work in Nigeria
He stressed that Cooperatives societies were abandoned for years but President Tinubu want to breed new life into the system to work for Nigerians.
In another panel session tagged,’Cooperative stakeholders forum with South East and South South representatives,’ the minister assured the regulations and legislations that will guide Cooperative Societies Reforms will be guided by the submissions and questions gathered from the trainings/workshop.
All the state Directors and Presidents of Cooperative societies in the 11 states of South East and South South zones of the country participated in the panel session.Some of them has raised the burden of taxation by their state governments as a setback to advancing the cause of Cooperative societies in their state.
Some others complained of political interference,while many complained of unruly behaviour of some members who disappear with funds of other members.
Earlier in his opening speech, the Provost of Federal Cooperative College Oji River, the host, Dr.Jude Obidiegwu expressed gratitude to the minister for deeming his college fit to host the training/workshop, stating it is the first of it’s kind in the history of the college.
He welcomed all participants and said the workshop provides all participants the opportunity to improve their capacity in solving food security and other economic challenges confronting the nation.
The chairman of Oji River local government area in his remarks also commended the training/workshop as veritable for economic growth.
He said the models being provided by the Cooperative Societies will key into the farm estates projects initiated by Governor Peter Mbah to boost food production in Enugu state,stating that Oji River local government area will welcome the Cooperative Societies in the area as partners.
The workshop continues technical sessions and thereafter a communique.
