Role Of Institution Based Co-Operative Societies In The Maintenance Of Industrial Harmony

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
ADA, Adapalm Development Authority, was established by East Central Government in year 1974 and it was incorporated in the year 1975 as a wholly government owned industrial oil palm limited liability company. This is on the context of overall national efforts to revitalise neglected oil palm industry which before the discovery of petroleum was a major foreign exchange earner for Nigeria government. The Adapalm was Originally owned and managed by East central and it was inherited by the government of Imo state on its creation in year 1976 and operated as a subsidiary of Agriculture development authority (ADA). Adapalm is under the ministry of Agriculture and Natural resources.
Several financial institutions have funded it such a (NACB) Nigeria Agricultural co-operative Bank etc. the society general, de Banque of Belgium provided the credit facilities for the component of the company’s oil mil at Ohaji and the feasibility study for the estate was produced by SOCFINCO SA of Belgium. The two consultants provided management and consultancy services.
Adapalm is located at Ohaji in Ohaji Egbema local government area where it operates as a nucleaus estate of about 4,310 hectares of fully matured plantation, and a 30 tonnes. hr processing mill and near completion of down stream. Also it operates a 5 tonnes/hr processing mill and a 10 hectare a of palm plantation at Umuogu Mbaise in Mbaise L.G.A. They also have Oil Mil which was commissioned on 4th December 1984 and that of Umuogu Mill was commissioned on 30th September 1985, out of 4,310 hectres;
410 were planted in 1975
1,795 wewre planted in 1977
2,015 were planted in 1978
Adapalm also have 1990/93 year of planting. The have equal a Nursary section, growing palm seedlings and a retail sales mobile shop of palm oil. It was re-called that this institution harvested its first fresh fruit bunches in the year 1979.
Currently the company organ-gram specifies who where and how activities are run.
The ministry of Agriculture and Rural development link with the Imo – state government which owns the company stands at the Apex.
General manager is headed by an executive general manager Chief Mr. Don Okwu who is responsible for the department / units which are headed by qualified and experienced professionals starts from general manager’s officer, administrative manager estate manager, new estate manager, account/finance manager, workers / service manager, Ohaji Mill manager, Umuogu Mill manager, planning, public relations manager, commercial security, public relations manager, commercial (marketing / purchasing), training manager, industrial clinic. The institution has management committee called (E.m.c meaning Executive management committee made – up of 14 members having general manager as the chairman. The institutions workforce is an average of one thousand one hundred and nineteen staff / workers.
The institution also has co-operative societies exist in the institution. Such co-operative society are sub–system of Adapalm in Ohaji local government area of Imo state. Research gathered that, there are different associations which operate with spirit of co-operation.
In Adapalm, the co-operative societies that exit are voluminous and heterogeneous in nature, in the sense that, there are marketing association which is been refer as marketing co-operative society. These marketer are those individuals who have pulled their resources together to formed an association which are responsible for marketing those palm produce both Oil, palm cannel, FAB, because Adapalm cannot sale directly to the individuals or consumers, rather to these marketers also because the individual cannot afford huge capital involved. Also there Okada’s associations which many be 10 persons made – up the Okada’s association. There are palm wine tapers association, “akapu” association i.e. rotten or decay palm fruit association. These particular association that are responsible for gathering these rotten or decay palm fruit. There are 20 persons that made up this particular association.
Although, there are two major co-operative societies that exist in Adapalm, there are marketing co-operative society and thrift and savings.
Under marketing society, they are 40 members, including oil palm seller, cannels, “Akapu” loss fruit. Thrift and savings; these are association of persons, who on their own makes daily contribution as inform of “ESUSU” which will be shared at the end of the year, each member has his / her membership which serves as monthly contribution card, each card is graded with columns and the daily contribution are been recorded by appointed leader who will go round every day to collect the members daily contribution and record appropriately.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Adapalm Ohaji co-operative societies are compounded with many roles to solve the problems which have a very serious implication for the realizations of various goals and objectives. The problems gathered from the research conducted that necessitated the writing of this work are; Non – payment of salary, smallness of the different co-operative un – able to secure loans, problems associated with sharing of share capital, mismanagement and misappropriation of fund by the managers / chairman or the heads of these co-operative societies, un – educated leaders. With all these taken place, the Adapalm co-operative society operating in Adapalm find it very hard to expand and progress and at the time brings disharmony.
So therefore, the study is been carried – out in order to examine the problems that is facing these co-operative societies which needs urgent attention.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to determine the role, impact and functionality of the Adapalm Ohaji as a institution – based co-operative societies.
The research will focus its attention on studying the following:
1 To identify the activities of the institution – based co-operative societies
2 To identify the major expectations workers have from the management which the institution based co-operative is now tackling.
3 To identify the significance of the institution based co-operative to society in Adapalm Ohaji.

1.4 SCOPE OF STUDY
The study is expected to cover Adapalm Ohaji council in Imo State.
The theoretical orientation guiding the study is the system Dunlop, an American human resource manager, first propounded the system which state that industrial relations/ harmony can be regarded as a system or web of rules regulating employment and the ways in which people behave work. The central theme of the theory was that”
Trade unions, Employee representative, management Employer’s organisation are responsible for the maintenance of industry harmony in co-operative societies.
The worker both in Federal, State or even local government and trade unions interact with their management in other combat or fight against conflicts in the government owned corporation.
They also consider the environment and as well as their inputs.
If the local government or state is functional, it will affect the entire system and the realisation of the development and productivity and the goals in an organisation.
Therefore, maintenance of industrial harmony can be achieved through the collective effort of the management, the worker, trade unions and other parties involved.

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The following hypothesis shall be tested
Ho: The institution – based cooperative society does not play a significant role in the maintenance of industrial harmony in Adapalm Ohaji
Hi: The institution – based co-operative society play a significant role in the maintenance of industrial harmony in Adapalm Ohaji.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The institution and the maintenance of industrial harmony based co-operative societies have created an effective environment between the institution and co-operative societies.
The institution has helped in avoidance of anything that will bridge the cordial relationship that exist between the institution (Adapalm) and co-operative societies.
Despite the numerous problems facing the institution, the institution on his own have tried to maintained average production capacity which will help to served co-operative societies.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
FINANCIAL CONSTRAINT: This is the major problem the researcher encounter during the periods of carry out this research work. It is a clear facts that majority of students do encounter financial difficulties as a result of other financial involvement in the school.
UNAVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION: Information is VERY important in writing any piece of work such as project writing, or research work, report writing, seminar paper etc. majority of unfinished project work is as a result of lack of vital information which are elusive on internet has contributed towards abandoning the work. So carry–out such project research work like this, witnessed un-availability of vital information.
ATTITUDE OF THE WORKERS / CIVIL / PUBLIC SERVANT
Non – chalant attitude of the workers has contributed towards not getting required information on – time, so as to enable the research work to be completed on time. In carryout this research work, the researcher encountered un – due delays as a result of workers not willing to help provide the needed information.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Non – chalant: According to oxford advance dictionary 6th edition, defines non – chalant as behaving in a calm and relaxed way, and also given the impression that you are not feeling any anxiety.
Complain: it means to say that you are annoyed unhappy or not satisfied about something.
Misappropriation: It means taking something else’s money or property for yourself, especially when they have trusted you to take care of it.
Unduly delay: It means more than you think is reasonable or necessary.
Institution: According to oxfords advance dictionary 6th edition, it means a large important organisation that has a particular purpose.