The impact of cooperative soceity in empowering grassroot development

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p><strong>1.1 &nbsp; &nbsp; BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The co-operatives movement in Nigeria dated back to the origin of communal life. Although the early co-operative were not as sophisticated as that of the advanced countries yet they existed and served useful purposes which characterized communal and extended family lives of the people. The beginning of modern cooperatives in Nigeria dated back to 1992 (Famiriyo).</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; During this period cocoa fragmentary aimed at created facilities for the improvement of cocoa processing and also to implement market reform measure. Later such fragmentary were built in other cocoa producing areas of the country. The year 1935 was a remarkable year in the development of Nigeria cooperatives movement as it became formalized and consolidated.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The enactment of the first co-operative societies Law in 1935 was as a result of the report of the introduction of co-operative societies into Nigeria submitted on 12th April 1934 by C.F Strickland.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The law was fashioned after the co-operative societies law which operated that time in India.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; From 1952, when the country was divided into three region, each region drew its own co-operative societies law from the original law of 1935, and co-operative matters became exclusive subject and responsibility of the region, the northern, western and eastern region co-operative societies. The registrar of those region became an adviser for short time after the post was scrapped.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In 1967, when the country was divided into twelve states, each state had a registrar of co-operative societies. During that period the cooperative division in the ministry to Lagos state. This create vacuum for co-operative division at the federal level.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The development of co-operative decree was promulgated in 1974 for the establishment of co-operative division in the federal ministry of Labour and the appointment of a federal registrar. The decree was No. 5 of 1974. In 1967 the co-operative and social development decree No. 38 of 1976 was promulgated transferring the function of the co-operative development division from the federal ministry of labour into a newly created federal ministry of co-operative and supply as a result of austerity measure, the federal ministry of co-operative as supply was abolished and a co-operative division was created in the federal ministry of trade and commerce.</p><p><strong>1.2 &nbsp; &nbsp; STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The major problem confronting development countries especially those implementing economic adjustment programme is the threat to economic and social needs. Consequently during the last decade emphasis has been on how to satisfy basic human needs of the urban and rural communities. This salient issue as though is not new to Nigeria, infact it has been fundamental objectives of development which has been clearly spelt out consistently in all the development plans of Nigeria.</p><p>To achieve an appreciable level of economic self reliance and sustainable development that is the national objectives of Nigeria was today there is little that can be without capital, both in cash and in kind. Thus, the need for the setting up of co-operative societies in the urban and rural communities of Nigeria, primarily to improve the solid economic condition and standard of living of the citizen so as to chance them and improved quality of life.</p> <br><p></p>