Cooperative Society And Poverty Alleviation

The study assessed the roles of cooperative societies towards alleviating poverty using Ibadan as a case in point in Nigeria. The activities of cooperative societies and how they affect its members especially in fighting the menace of poverty were therefore critically examined. Through multi-layer random sampling technique responses from questionnaires and interviews conducted with key informants served as the main source of data. The study showed that the activities of cooperative societies have improved the living standard of its members through provision of skills, trainings, job opportunities and financial assistance thereby reducing the poverty level of its members and communities. The finding of the study also showed that, despite various successes achieved by the cooperative societies in poverty alleviation, its efforts are not without some challenges. The study thus identified and developed effective policy measures within which cooperative societies can exploit to benefit all its members and communities especially in the area of poverty alleviation.

TABLE OF CONTENT

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• • BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

• • STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

• • OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

• • SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

• • RESEARCH QUESTION

• • SCOPE OF THE STUDY

• • SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

• • DEFINITION OF TERMS

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

• • LITERATURE REVIEW  

• • DEFINITION AND MEANING OF COOPERATIVE

• • HISTORY OF COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT

• • FORMS OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES

• • POVERTY

• • CAUSES OF POVERTY

• • EFFECTS OF POVERTY

• • POVERTY ALLEVIATION

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

• • RESEARCH DESIGN

• • DESCRIPTIVE AREA OF THE STUDY

• • SAMPLING, DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULT ANALYSIS

4.1.     RESULT ANALYSIS

4.2     SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS

CHPATER FIVE

5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

• • CONCLUSION

• • RECOMMENDATION

REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                      INTRODUCTION

1.1                                          BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Cooperative society are autonomous bodies formed by people with similar economic and social interest; they exist in most advanced and developing countries of the world where they operate in the urban areas as well as in the rural areas.

Their business takes many forms ranging from primary organization formed by individuals of local level to secondary apex masses through the society’s contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) and the spread effect of the derived benefits. Nigeria like other developing countries have done a lot in terms of improving the standards of its citizens through the provision of employment, shelter, food supplies, basic infrastructural facilities, good education system and a conducive political and socio – economic environment. Of all these deep-rooted social and economic ills, the most frightening is poverty, it is alarming because it’s capacity of learning all social fabric and social values. Consequently, all attempt made to reduce poverty cannot be improved.

Nigeria, since independence has been battling on how to reduce poverty on its citizenry. In this regard, programmes, agencies. And a mission were drawn, instituted and formed to address this ugly issue or hydro – headed monster (poverty). We are all aware of the philosophies behind regional areas like the Northern Nigeria Development Cooperation (NNDC) Western Nigeria Development Cooperation (WNDC) and Eastern Nigeria Development Cooperation (ENDC).

All these cooperation were constructed for the purpose of giving soft loans for the developmental projects and other employment opportunities to the respective regions from the federal government and from the limited sources of their respective regional areas.

The introduction of cooperatives societies in Nigeria came about through the feasibility study of Mr. Strickland in his reported submitted in 1933 when the Nigeria government realized the significance of cooperative. This resulted to the formation of cooperative. Inspite of all these cooperation, agencies and societies have proved to be very potent in reducing the level of poverty in our society.

1.2                               STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM      

Poverty as a figure disturbing the people or society are due to the fact that all governmental schemes to alleviate poverty has not been shown in the study area.

The unemployment situation in the society is at the increasing rate among the people due to the limitation of cooperatives awareness in the society. The people fail to know or understand what cooperative really means or is taking about. Due to the high population of Nigeria, which impose the problems of poverty as to no job opportunities in the societies.

Again despite all the effort of poverty alleviation by the cooperatives movement, there are obstacles that hinder people from participating and enjoying these economic developments. Such obstacles are: lack of adequate cooperative education or awareness and enlightenment amongst the populace as such people respond to cooperative movement very poor. Those who are actively involved in this movement of the cooperatives do not also fully enjoy the economic aspect of the movement, which is the foremost objective of cooperative. This is because of the lack or inadequate cooperative knowledge of its members. Also improper management by committee members of different societies.

This research work, will examine ways of solving the set aside problems that hinders the full participation and   enjoyment of the cooperative movement activities by its member, towards poverty alleviation and the betterment of their social –economic activities.

1.3                                 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of this study is to analysis the importance of cooperative in the community development of Ibadan. Other objectives are:

1. 1. The objectives of the study are to find out whether cooperative societies can help in the alleviation of poverty.

1. 1. It is also an objective of the study to make comparison on findings from this exercise with previous studies on the same research topic.

• • Again, the objective of the study is to examine if all cooperative principles is best applied in the cooperative societies.

1. 1. It is equally an objective of the study to examine the extent of people’s involvement in cooperative particularly in the rural areas.

1. 1. To make recommendation based on findings

1.4                                           SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The data Collected analyzed and summarized will be used for decision and possibly recommendations will be forwarded to the parties concerned.

Following the objectives of the study as earlier stated, the significance of this study in the first place, is that, it will assist to bring into focus the real cooperative activities, what they are doing and what can be done to tackle the socio – economic problems of the people for possible appreciation of the places of cooperatives societies in the economy and in the role of poverty reduction among members.

The importance of this study is to underline the fact that poverty is today the dominant factor in the Nigeria human development. This study therefore is expected that the wider dimension of poverty government as well as cooperative societies effort in alleviating poverty will be examined.

This research work is of great significance to the area under study because the group and individual member of the society or the area under study will morally and mentally benefit from the knowledge’s and information, which this study will make available for continuous enlightenment. So as to remain conscious and enlightened for greater participation in the cooperative movement.

1.5                                                      RESEARCH QUESTION

Based on the objective of the study, the following research question have been formulated for an effective study of the phenomenon.

1. 1. Do cooperative societies enhance the living standard of its bonafide members?

1. 1. Could Low enrolment of Individuals lead to failure of cooperative society?

1. 1. What is the extend of people involvement in cooperative particularly the working class?

1. 1. What are the basic economic activities being carried out by cooperative to alleviate poverty?

1. 1. How can cooperatives help reduce poverty?

1. 1. How can cooperatives improve the social and economic conditions of the poor?

1. 1. How does Cooperative Society help a community?

1. 1. What is the meaning of poverty alleviation?

1.6                                          SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Since the subject matter is based on an assessment of the role of cooperatives in poverty alleviation. It has to be focused from different angles with references to the provision of basic minimum wages, improving economic programs.

This research work will examine the role and the extend to which the society is economically helping the members towards enhancing their socio – economic well being. Provision of basic education and general implementation/improving the living standards of the population.

The researcher have to limit the sizeable level where justice can be seen to have been done to the topic of study since a list of time will be needed to do an extensive research on a topic of this nature coupled with the attended cost.

1.7                             SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

In carrying out this research work, the following constraints were experienced:

Time: the time given for the study was rather too short coupled with short semester period, and the researcher being a full time or regular student had read and take lectures in other courses during the period of this study.

Finance: due to financial constraint as a result the present economic condition of students in the country, the researcher was able to select those registered cooperative society used in this study which includes Produce Marketing Cooperative Society, Wholesales Cooperative Society and others decentralized in Ibadan these and many more constitute large sum of money both for transportation and for stationeries.

Transportation: The inadequate transportation system in Ibadan as a result of high transportation fare made it extremely difficult for the researcher to visit all the cooperative societies in Imo State.

Literature: Due to financial and time constraint, the researcher limited her literature review to what was taught in class and what was obtained in some journal and textbooks like wise seminar paper concerning cooperative in Ibadan and other parts of the country.

1.8                                          DEFINITION OF TERMS

COOPERATIVE: An association of individuals united voluntarily to meet their economic, cultural, social needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprises.

POVERTY: Aluwalia (1973) “Defines Poverty by the number of people living below a specified minimum level of income an imaginary poverty line knows nationals boundaries and is independent of the level of national per capital income. However, it magnitude may be much less in terms of total number or percentage of the total populations”

ALLEVIATION: This as a term in this research work means the reduction or lessening and elimination of any factors that leads to poverty and deprivation among the populace so as to increase their income level.

MEMBERS: These are persons who are fully registered in the society and who have completed all the necessary registration process.

Economic: This has to do with the money the society having

Development: This is the process of advancing more, gradual growth and a stage of something.