By Gabriel Ewepu

OVER 20 million cooperative members across the country, Wednesday, expressed readiness to support and implement socio-economic policies of President Bola Tinubu.

This was stated by the President, Cooperative Federation of Nigeria, High Chief Ayeola Oriyomi, at a press conference held in Abuja ahead of the 2023 International Cooperative Day coming up on first Saturday in July 2023.

Oriyomi said the pivotal role cooperatives play in socioeconomic development in every country cannot be overemphasized.

According to him as the President, International Cooperative Alliance-Africa, ICA-Africa, the aim of the celebration is to increase awareness on the contributions of the cooperative movement to providing solutions to some of the problems besetting the world.

He further stated that first Saturday of July every year is set aside by International Cooperative Alliance to celebrate International Cooperative Day, and the celebration is used to highlight successes and challenges of cooperatives and chart a course of action for further growth and development for the coming years while strategizing to surmount identified challenges.

The theme for 2023 International Cooperative Day is ‘Cooperatives for Sustainable Development’ as an indication of the contributions of cooperatives to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDG’s, around the world.

He said: “In Nigeria, cooperatives are in practically all spheres of human endeavour and all nooks and crannies of our rural and urban areas. Cooperative operations cover agriculture, health, transportation, manufacturing, production, housing and the most widely known, provision of affordable credit facilities for members.

“Many cooperatives across the country are involved in agriculture and manufacturing of agro allied products. Cooperatives and Co-operators in Nigeria have huge investments in land and water transportation, education (primary and secondary schools) housing and health facilities worth hundreds of billions of Naira.

“In housing, many co-operators are home owners, courtesy of their cooperative societies whose terms are affordable. We are willing to do more for Nigerians in partnership with government through any of her agencies.

“Let me at this juncture appeal to the Federal Government to pay adequate attention to the cooperative sector. Cooperative is a veritable tool for driving sustainable programs worldwide and has been recognized by the United Nations as a resilient business model.

I therefore call on government to use the existing cooperative platforms for implementation of their socio-economic programs for sustainable and better welfare of the Nigerian people.

“With over 20 million co-operative members across the country, we are willing to partner with the current administration in its stride to drive sustainable growth for our dear country particularly in the wake of government’s plan to roll out palliatives to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.”