The Minister of State for Agriculture & Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to revamp cooperative societies and eliminate fraudulent operators preying on innocent citizens.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony of the National Intensive Training Workshop for Trustees, Management Committees, and Managers of Cooperative Societies in Kaduna on Thursday, Abdullahi emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in the sector.
“The days of fake cooperative societies are gone. We are implementing measures to bring sanity to the system. Soon, the National Council on Cooperative Affairs will be convened to foster synergy, collaboration, and partnership within the states’ cooperative ecosystem,” he said.
He further stated that the government is serious about overhauling the cooperative sector through reforms aimed at restoring public confidence.
“We aim to bring innovation by first renovating, then revitalising the sector to restore confidence in the masses and bring back the glory of the cooperative movement as a force to reckon with in Nigeria’s socio-economic development,” he added.
Abdullahi explained that the reform process will focus on reviewing and amending the Nigerian Cooperative Act to align with global best practices and local realities.
He added that the move will also include developing a regulatory framework to ensure compliance and due diligence in cooperative management, as well as conducting robust stakeholder mapping and analysis to encourage participation.
According to him, the reform will include an extensive human capital development program, which has already commenced.
He commended the Provosts of the Federal Cooperative College, Kaduna, Dr. Ibrahim Auwal and the Federal College of Agricultural Produce Technology, Kano Dr. Mohammed Gwaram for initiating an educational initiative in line with the government’s revamp efforts.
The minister also acknowledged the Federal Cooperative Colleges in Ibadan, Oyo State, and Oji-River, Enugu State, for organising similar intensive training workshops for cooperative leaders and managers in the Western and Eastern geopolitical zones.
In his remarks, the Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, Kaduna, Dr. Auwal, described the training as the beginning of a journey to equip participants with essential knowledge and strategies to strengthen cooperative societies and their communities.
He added that the program would focus not only on the core principles of cooperative management but also on critical skills needed to navigate the challenges of the modern economy.