FG to clamp down on fake cooperative societies

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to revamping cooperative societies and weeding out fake and corrupt ones that steal and scam innocent citizens.

The Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, stated this at the opening ceremony of the National Intensive Training Workshop for trustees, management committees, and managers of cooperative societies in Nigeria, held at the Federal Cooperative College in Kaduna.

He stated that the days of fake cooperative societies were over, as measures were being taken to bring sanity, disclosing plans to convene the National Council on Cooperative Affairs to foster synergy, collaboration, and partnership with the states’ cooperative ecosystem.

The minister stated, “As we embark on the Renewed Hope Agenda for the cooperative sector, we are serious about overhauling the system through our reform and revamp program. We aim to bring innovation by renovating first, revitalizing the sector to restore confidence in the masses, and bringing back the glory of the cooperative movement as a force to reckon with in socio-economic development in Nigeria.”

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He added that the reform and revamp efforts will focus on reviewing and amending the Nigerian Cooperative Act to align it with global best practices and local realities; developing a regulatory framework to ensure compliance and due diligence in the management of cooperatives; and conducting robust stakeholder mapping and analysis to guarantee participation.

He noted that the reform would include a very robust and all-inclusive human capital development initiative, which has already been kick-started.

He commended the efforts of the Provosts of the Federal Cooperative College, Kaduna, and the Federal College of Agricultural Produce Technology, Kano, Dr. Ibrahim Auwal and Dr. Mohammed Gwaram, for initiating this laudable educational initiative, aligning with the reform and revamp program.

The Minister of State also acknowledged the efforts of the Federal Cooperative Colleges in Ibadan, Oyo State, and Oji-River, Enugu State, for planning the same intensive training workshop for cooperative leaders and managers within the Western and Eastern geo-political zones to ensure nationwide coverage.

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In his remarks, the Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Kaduna, Dr. Ibrahim Auwal, pointed out that the training would mark the beginning of a journey that will equip participants with the essential tools, knowledge, and strategies needed to advance cooperatives and strengthen the communities they serve.

He added that the knowledge shared would focus not only on the core principles of cooperative management but also on the critical skills needed to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the modern economy.

The highlight of the event was the inspection of the Cooperative College by the Honorable Minister of State, along with paper presentations by the Provosts of the Federal Cooperative Colleges in Kaduna and Kano.