The President, Ogun State Co-operatives Federation (OSCOFED), Alhaji (Dr) AbdulRasaaq Ola Balogun has implored the Ogun State governor-elect, Prince Dapo Abiodun to provide more enabling environment for Cooperative Societies in the state to thrive, as well as to avert owing workers' cooperative deductions.
Ola Balogun made this submission while speaking with newsmen in his Asero's office, Abeokuta, noting that the in-coming administration should improve on the support enjoyed by the body under the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration and promptly payment of cooperative deductions, as failure to do so would have negative impact on members of cooperative Societies as well as the state's economy.
"Our request is that since the out-going governor has settled the deductions his administration owed, we will not want the in-coming government to withhold the deductions of any members, we want to passionately implore the in-coming governor not to tamper with the cooperative of state workers.
"The management boards of all the societies have got plans on how they are going to use their money in order to cushion the welfare of their members, failure of government to remit the deductions will lead to failure in the actualization of the objectives of the societies", he said.
While appreciating the present administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun for the recognition given to the cooperative regulatory body in the state and the announcement of payment of deductions owed by his administration, Ola Balogun said The in-coming administration in the state should continue to give adequate recognition to OSCOFED and uphold the autonomy of the body, and intervening where necessary rather than interfering in the activities of the body.
He added that the government should synergise with the cooperative body in the state, in order to implement its grassroot programmes, adding that apart from being closed to the people at the grassroots, OSCOFED has also over the years proven to be accountable through payment of revolving loans granted it by the government.
He noted that the positive impact of its activities also contributed immensely on businesses especially, Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) around the state and its neighboring states, noted that body has a larger members of cooperative societies in the state.
Reacting to the notion that many state workers were likely to exit cooperative societies after May 29, 2019, the OSCOFED President advised that cooperative societies should rather find a better way of ensuring that they get the cooperative deductions from the salaries of the workers, adding that cooperatives still remains the best option for residents and workers in the srate.
Ola Balogun said members of cooperative societies should continue to support the development of the societies by promptly repaying their loans as expected, asserting that bad or overdue loans threaten the growth and development of any cooperative societies in the country.
The OSCOFED President expressed that the cooperative societies under his leadership had been working tirelessly in ensuring that the best accounting and cooperative principles were adhered to by cooperative societies in the state, emphasising that all his missions and visions for the body would be accomplished soonest.
He revealed that plans were at an advanced stage for the body to invest hugely and largely in various profitable ventures and infrastructure which would boost several sectors, and contribute meaningfully to the members before the expiration of his tenure in 2021.
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