By Evbo-Imade Osarumwense
The Commissioner for Business, Trade and Cooperatives, Afishetu Braimoh, has urged cooperative societies in Edo State to up their game in order to compete favorably with their counterparts in other countries of the world.
The Commissioner, who spoke during a two-day training workshop organized by the Ministry of Business, Trade and Cooperatives for cooperators in Edo North and Central Senatorial Districts of Edo State, enjoined them to be focused on the reason for which the cooperatives were formed.
She encouraged each cooperative society to come up with a purpose that will empower and sustain their cooperatives and the cooperators as the Edo State Government is determined to give them the enabling environment to thrive.
Braimoh advised the cooperatives not to focus on just agricultural products but to identify one or two resources prevalent in their locality with a view to developing it, as this will build capacity and sustainable growth.
Highlighting the various benefits from engaging in agricultural ventures and products, the Commissioner promised to attract off-takers and buyers for their products, adding that the world is tilting towards agriculture, and urged the cooperatives to take advantage of the growing demands.
According to her, there will be more training for the various cooperatives by development partners like the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), in order to enhance their businesses.
She decried the dearth of made-in-Edo products on the shelves of most stores in the State, noting that the cooperatives can and should change the narrative for the better.
The Commissioner encouraged managers of the various cooperatives to be prudent with their funds so as not to betray the confidence invested in them by their members, adding that any fraudulent activity in any cooperative will be investigated and culprits will be made to face the full weight of the law.
She promised to take feedbacks from the training with a view to working on them to improve the quality of cooperative societies in the State, adding that in the coming year, sessions on the use of technology; understanding how it works and its importance in the marketplace, will be part of the curriculum, as the world is now a global village.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Business Trade and Cooperatives, Mr. Efe Iserhienrhien, assured the cooperators of the ministry’s unalloyed support, and urged them to take the training seriously so that the purpose of engaging in the training will not be defeated.
The two-day training workshop featured lectures like Basic Principles of Edo State Cooperatives Law, Effective Accounting and Bookkeeping for Cooperatives in the 21st Century, Transforming Cooperative Societies in the 21st Century amongst others.
The lectures were given by Directors, Heads of Units, other staff of the ministry and other resource persons.
The President, Edo Cooperative Federation, Mr. Filani Ojo, and the President of the Edo North Cooperative Union, Ahj. Sedenu Mohammed, in their separate remarks, expressed gratitude to the Edo State Government and the Ministry of Business, Trade and Cooperatives for the training, and assured that the lessons from the training will be put to good use by the cooperators.
