Climate Advisor to the dRPC and Moderator,Dr Saadatu Baba,and Panelists,Mrs Ifeoma Anyanwu, Deputy Director Gender Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security,Dr Olayinka Yusuf and Prof A.A. Yakubu ,Dept of Agricultural Economy, Usman Danfodio University,Sokoto state at the event in Abuja.
By Victoria Onehi
The Federal Director of Cooperatives Idris Ali Sani, has said Cooperatives bring progress to any nation hence cooperators should take their jobs seriously.
Sani stated this today at a National symposium to celebrate 2024 global Cooperative Day organised by the National Cooperative Financing Agency of Nigeria (CFAN) in collaboration with the Development Research Projects Center (dRPC).
The Director who was represented by the Deputy Director Bunde Mathew Ongo, said when the principles of Cooperatives are kept,it will bring about progress to the nation.
He said: “You see in other countries, cooperatives are looked upon for progress.So cooperatives should make sure that they go by the principles of cooperatives, go by the definition of cooperatives and ensure that whatever they are doing,they do it diligently. Cooperatives have principles, values, so if they embrace all these and keep records, they will progress. Record-keeping is paramount.”
The Director of Communications and Partnerships, development Research Projects Center (dRPC), Mal Hassan Karofi, said cooperatives contribute significantly to the GDP of the country thus,it must be given its place.
He said: “If you look at cooperatives in Nigeria, it is on record that Nigeria has 22,000 registered cooperatives operating in the country with 30 million members , constituting 14.5% of the population and contributing over N800 bn GDP. Nigeria’s total GDP stands at US480bn or N700trn GDP.So, cooperatives are significant and powerful tool of economic development,stability and national development.”
Karofi said effective Cooperatives in any nation is a platform or is a tool that can be used to develop and grow the economy and ensure stability.
The Executive Secretary and CEO of the National Cooperative Financing Agency of Nigeria, CFAN, Emmanuel Atama, said the theme of this years cooperative day, ‘Cooperatives building a better future for all’ is an opportunity to look into the future, especially with respect to the issue of food security.
“Here today, we are discussing how to farm, how to process our farm produce, how to get it to the market and above all, how to make it affordable for the common men and women. We are hitting at the goal of food security. Making sure that people have access to food and have a better life. What we are doing will help government to achieve food security, which is uppermost as far as our country Nigeria today is concerned.” Atama said.
Speaking during the panel session, Deputy Director, Gender, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Mrs Ifeoma Anyanwu, said experts recommend climate smart agriculture and livestock development as a way to improve food security, mitigate the impact of insecurity and grow the economy through sustainable agriculture and job opportunities.
