Bello: Co-Operatives an Effective Tool for Economic Development
Eromosele Abiodun
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Hassan Bello has stressed the need for Nigerian workers to embrace co-operative societies as a means of saving for the raining day.
He stated this while delivering his goodwill message at the 22nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the NSC Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited.
Represented by the Director, Special Duties, Mr Ignatius Nweke he described co-operative societies as effective tools for economic development through intervention in specific market place in the sustainable interest of members.
He enjoined executives of the NSC co-operative society to search for investments that can guarantee returns on investments for the benefit of members.
According to him, “I urge the executive to continue he good work they have started that has made most member to retain trust in the co-operative society. As co-operators, we are required to operate and abide strictly by the bye-laws guiding the society.
“We are expected to follow the criteria for loan disbursement in order to ensure that the savings of members are well utilised and secured. This will give assurance that the motto of the co-operative society, which is, “Unity Power and Progress,” is achieved.”
Bello stressed that the purpose and objectives of any co-operative society are to amongst other things, to provide goods and services, and eliminate the unnecessary profits of middlemen in trade and commerce.
Other objectives he stated are, aim to protect the rights of its members both as producers and customers, seek to prevent the exploitation of the weaker members of the co-operative society and promote mutual understanding and education among members and people in general.
In his speech, the Chairman of the co-operative society and Director, Corporate Services, NSC, Bashir Sumaila, said the NSC management had sanitised the co-operative society to ensure that it is ran professionally.
He said, “it is beneficial for staff to set part of their salary aside for the raining day, I have been a member of this organisation for over 20 years and everything I have achieved has been through this co-operative society.”