Bayelsa Deputy Gov Tells Cooperative Societies To Apply Global Best Practices, Invest In Social Capital

Rhoda Godwin in Yenagoa

Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, has emphasised the importance of cooperative societies in the country following global trends in their operations to contribute meaningfully to national economic growth and development.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, speaking on Wednesday during a courtesy visit from the Former Legislators’ Wives Association (FLEWA) to his office in Government House, Yenagoa, described cooperative societies as strategic engines of economic growth and stability.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo believes that in addition to pooling resources and sharing them among their members, cooperatives can have a significant impact on society by investing in both profitable and non-profit ventures.

He encouraged Bayelsa cooperatives to adopt global best practices by collaborating with the government and other well-meaning organisations to invest in education and other forms of social capital.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo thanked the women for supporting the Governor and his re-election and urged the Association to focus on the Governor’s Administration’s policies and programmes, particularly those aimed at empowering women and youth.

He also urged FLEWA to extend their public education campaigns against drug addiction, cultism, and other antisocial vices to primary schools, which he believes have become breeding grounds for such societal ills.

His words: “Cooperatives, in my opinion, are the engines of economic growth and stability. Most of the large economies and businesses you see today began as cooperatives.

“The biggest football clubs in Europe were cooperatives that have grown into very large investments.”

“So, while I want to encourage you in your cooperation, I want you to focus on more than one area. Our cooperatives should do more than just contribute money to members in turn.

“We will pursue our agenda, and we expect you to follow suit. I encourage you to develop programmes to combat cultism and other vices in our primary schools.

“Do not always focus your enlightenment programs solely on secondary and tertiary educational institutions, because our primary schools have become breeding grounds for all of the vices we have mentioned here.”

Mrs. Margaret Boye Debekeme, President of the Former Legislators’ Wives Association (FLEWA), stated earlier that the organization’s goal was to foster unity and collective development by pooling resources for financial self-reliance.

Mrs Debekeme, who praised the current administration’s progress in the state, urged the government to support their plans for the year, including an enlightenment campaign against cults in schools.