ABSTRACT
The
objective of this research was to find out how cooperative societies in Ahiazu
Mbaise local government area are viable in their business transactions. This
research was to present a conceptual framework which can reflect the paradigm
for the capability and viability of cooperative societies as a business
organization. The study consists of 40 cooperative societies selected from the
said local government area out of a population of 92 registered cooperative
societies in Ahiazu Mbaise local government area. It was found that cooperative
societies are viable in some parts of the area and are not viable in some part
pf the area in Ahiazu Mbaise local government area. Those not performing well
were attributed to several problems facing their societies. These problems are
poor funding which the major constraint to the viability of cooperative as a
business organization, managerial incompetence, lack of basic infrastructure,
lack of members’ education and members’ commitment, high level of illiteracy
among the members, etc. Those that are viable were attributed to the following;
provision of proper education to the members to improve their various business
activities, cooperative help members to improve their economic well being
thereby raising their standard of living, few members of cooperative obtained
government’s assistance and majority of the members have years of experience in
cooperative. This shows that many of the members know what cooperative is all
about and the benefits of being a member. Cooperative societies in Ahiazu
Mbaise local government area are profitable due to proper management and proper
planning of the business, thus making cooperative as a business organization to
be viable. Based on these findings, some recommendations were made.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract vi
Table of content vii
CHAPTER ONE
- Introduction 1
1.2 Statement of the Problems 7
1.3 Objectives of the Study 8
1.4 Scope of the Study 9
1.5 Hypothesis 9
1.6 Significance of the Study 10
1.7 Limitation of the Study 11
- Definition of Terms 12
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review 13
2.1 History of co-operative societies 14
2.2 Definitions and meaning of co-operative movement 16
2.3 Principle guiding the operation of co-operative societies 23
2.4 A co-operative option 27
- Economic and social viability in societies 29
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Research Methodology 33
3.1 Sources of Data 33
3.2 The Population/sample size determination 33
- Sampling
techniques 35
- Instrument 36
- Limitations to Data Collection 36
- Method of Data Analysis 37
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Presentation, Analysis of Data 39
4.1 Presentation of Data 39
4.2 Analysis of Data 42
4.1 Test of hypothesis 58
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation 69
5.1 Summary 69
5.2 Conclusion 71
5.3 Recommendations 72
Bibliography 76
Appendix 78
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The modern type of cooperative was introduced formally into Nigeria by the then colonial administration in 1935. The British colonial government had in 1904 introduced the cooperative movement in India, which was one of the British colonies then.
The same 1904 was the year the then colonial government in India enacted a cooperative law in India. Following the successes recorded in India, the British colonial government in Nigeria tried to experiment the introduction of cooperative in Nigeria.
The same year, 1935, cooperative movement in Nigeria was born. First step was taken by the then colonial government in Nigeria to enact the Nigerian cooperative societies ordinance.
Before the formal introduction of cooperative in Nigeria, there had been moves by various groups and individuals to organize what looked like cooperative societies. During the early nineteen thirties, the cocoa farmers in the Western part f Nigeria were organized in to small cooperative societies. The initiative was taken by the then ministry of Agriculture. These cooperative societies could be described as the fore runners of modern agricultural cooperative societies. Though they used the name cooperative, they did not operate really under the cooperative principles as they were not guided by any cooperative law.
The colonial government tried to investigate the possibility and desirability of introducing the cooperative movement into their Nigerian colony. Thus, 1933, the government invited a cooperative expert, Mr. C. F. Strickland, from India and requested him to make an investigative tour of Nigeria and to advise the then Nigerian government on the desirability and possibility of Nigeria. Mr. C. F. Strickland carried out the investigation and submitted his report on the 17th April, 1934. In his report titled, “Report on the introduction of cooperative societies in Nigeria” he strongly recommended the introduction of the cooperative movement in the colony of Nigeria, maintaining that cooperative societies would help to improve the economic and social conditions of Nigerians and among others; the report was accepted by the government. After the acceptance in 1935, the government enacted the first Nigerian cooperative societies’ law, while in 1936; regulations were drawn up to guide the running of cooperative societies. The Nigerian cooperative societies law was fashioned after the cooperative societies law operating in India, which was another British colony at that time. Cooperative cocoa societies started in the Western part of Nigeria. 1938, workers formed cooperative thrift and loan societies in the Eastern and Western parts of Nigeria.
In 1936, Major E. F. G. Haig was appointed the first registrar of cooperative societies in Nigeria. His legacy to the Nigerian cooperative movement thereafter, was nothing short of complete government control. Thus, control continued from the colonial time till date.
