Demystifying Women’s Apathy Towards Rural Community-Based Cooperative Societies in Nigeria: An Empirical Insight (Published)
The main thrust of this paper was to examine women’s apathy towards rural community-based cooperative societies in Nigeria. The study specifically examined the types of cooperatives in the study area, the reasons for women’s membership of cooperatives, reasons for women’s apathy towards cooperatives and the socioeconomic determinants of women’s involvement in cooperative societies in rural communities. The study was carried out in Cross River State, Nigeria. The population of the study comprised all rural women in the study area. The respondents consisted of 145 randomly selected rural women. Data were collected with the aid of a validated structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Data obtained were analyzed using mean, mean deviation, ranking and probit regression model. The result of analysis revealed that different cooperative societies exists in the area, women join cooperatives for various reasons such as access to loan/grants, to attract government support, access to farm input, access to educational opportunities, among others. It was also noted that women’s apathy towards cooperatives is associated with their lack of land ownership right, domestic responsibilities, and poverty etc. The age, marital status, level of education and occupation of women were significantly related to their participation in cooperatives. It was recommended among others that government should provide credit facilities to rural women to enhance their financial autonomy and participation in cooperative societies.
Keywords: Cooperative Societies, Nigeria, Rural, Women, apathy
Performance of Fishery Cooperative Societies in Rivers State; Nigeria (Published)
In Nigeria fishery sub-sector accounts for about 40% of animal protein in the diet and contribute 4.4% of the agricultural share of the nation’s GDP in 2003. Nigeria is blessed with a vest expense of inland, fresh water, marine and brackish ecosystem which is richly bless with aquatic life. However Nigeria fish production volume of 0.5 tones cannot meet the annual demand of 1.3 million tonnes. Average annual fish consumption in the country has therefore stagnated a 9.2kg per capita, a situation that resulted in a huge supply and consumption gap. The study, therefore had its trust as appraising the performance of fishery cooperative societies in Rivers State. Data were obtained from 360 cooperative fishermen, from 12 purposively selected Local Government Area of Rivers State. Data obtained were analyzed with both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that, the respondents were of low educational qualification as such affected their initiative to improve the technique in the fish production as well as management of the fishing experience, had significant influence on the fishermen return as fishermen who went for more catch. Also, the findings from the study gave evidence that; there are three major sources used in the fishing exploit deep sea approach, the riverside and the creek. It was observed that more fishermen prefer the creek as fish tend to hide at the creek followed by the riverside approach with few exploiting the deep sea. The findings revealed that fishermen are faced with various degrees of challenges which range from pollution, climate change/bad weather, financial challenge; storage and processing facility; as well as high cost of fishing tools. The Researcher, therefore recommended among others that formal cooperative system of fish producers should be put in place to improve fish production in the areas.
Keywords: Cooperative Societies, Fishery, Nigeria, Rivers State
Loan Repayment Behavior among Member of Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Societies in Anambra State (Published)
This study examined the loan repayment behavior of farmers multipurpose cooperative societies in Anambra State. The famers are poor and cannot raise the money needed for farming and when they obtain loan repayment is usually poor. The study specifically examined the range of amount of loan applied for, amount approved, amount disbursed and repaid by the cooperative farmers. It investigated the socioeconomic factors affecting the farmers’ credit repayment ability and ascertained major problems affecting the farmers in loan repayment using t-test statistics and a multiple econometric model of the Ordinary Least Square (OLS). Findings revealed that there is a significant difference between the amount of loan received and amount repaid by the cooperative farmers. The joint effect of the explanatory variable in the model account for 91.9% of the variations in the factors affecting the farmers’ credit repayment ability. Four coefficients (educational qualification, farm size, loan application cost, and collateral value) are significant. Age, membership duration and income of the farmers are not significant but they show a positive relationship with loan repayment. Factors affecting the farmers’ credit repayment ability are significant at 0.000 significant level. The study therefore recommends among others that cooperative societies should endeavour to educate the farmers on financial discipline and management because it has proven to significantly influence loan repayment. Lending institutions should ensure that whoever they are lending to meets a minimum threshold in asset value before loans are accessed. This will help to reduce defaulters.
Keywords: : Loan Repayment, Farmers, Multipurpose Cooperative, Nigeria
Community Participation in the Millennium Development Goals (Mdgs) Programmes in Awka North Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State, Nigeria (Published)
The term community participation is commonly understood as the collective involvement of Local People in assessing of their needs and organizing strategies to meet those needs. The importance of community participation in Millennium Development Goals Programme is uncontested. Communities in Awka North lack infrastructures such as good roads, healthcare, electricity, pipe born water, schools etc. the study analyzed the level of community participation in the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) programmes in Awka North LGA of Anambra State. Awka North LGA is made up of 10 autonomous communities where data were obtained from 100 respondents with the help of multi stage sampling technique. Data obtained were analyzed using both descriptive statistics (frequency tables, simple percentage and 5-point scale analysis with standard mean of 3.0) and inferential statistics. The result revealed that MDGs have implemented and executed some reasonable developmental programmes in the area. Also, there was evidence that communities are involved to an extent. In order to strengthen and enhance community participation in developmental programmes, the following recommendations are made; the community should be allowed to identify and make choice on the type of programmes and projects they went in their community. Also, the government officials should allow the community to be involved in the design, planning and formulation of the programmes. All these will encourage full participation of the community.
Keywords: Communtiy Participation, Millennium Development Goals (MDGS), Nigeria
ENHANCING INNOVATIVENESS AMONG SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE (SMES) LEATHER ENTERPRISES TO BOOST PERFORMANCE IN ABIA STATE, NIGERIA (Published)
This study critically analyzes the innovation types and the effect on the performance of the leather based manufacturing enterprise in Abia state. The study has four specific objectives which were to examine the socio economic characteristics of the respondents, analyses of the various types and strategies of innovation, the effect of innovation on the performance of the enterprise as well as the determinant of innovation and performance. Random samples of 120 leather based manufacturing firms were obtained and the data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire. The tools used for data analysis were tables, frequencies and percentages, correlation analysis, probit regression and multiple regression analyses. It was observed that the innovations used to enhance performance among leather based agro-industries were product, market and technological innovations. Specifically, innovation has a positive significant effect on the performance (profit) of the enterprise. The significant determinants of innovation were enterprise size, competitors, output level, and credit availability for the venture and education status of firm operators. Also, while innovation was one of the significant determinants of enterprise performance, it is therefore recommended that the enterprise should embark on a continuous innovation to enhance their performance
Keywords: Leather Enterprises, Nigeria, Performance Abia State, SMEs