CABSCICS Visited NNPC-KRPC Cooperative Putting Principles 5 & 6 into Practice

…To Hold their Annual Cooperative Public Lecture come 9th of August 2023

The College of Administrative and Business Studies Cooperative Investment and Credit Society (CABSCICS) Limited paid a working visit to the NNPC-KRPC Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited in Kaduna State recently to understudy the society processes and administrative successes, a move initiated by the CABSCICS Consultant Dr. Usman A. Usman erstwhile HOD CEM Kaduna P[olytechnic which is in line with the global cooperative principles that stipulate in Principle number 6. Cooperation among Cooperatives – Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional, and international structures.

The CABSCICS management team was led by the Cooperative President Dr. Mohammed Omotosho Salawu who in his speech at the visitation dialogue commended the efforts of their host on their gigantic projects around the country for their members and informed the NNPC-KRPC Cooperative executives about the CABSCICS Annual Cooperative Public Lecture coming up on 9th of August 2023, wanting their collaboration to attend and participate in the event that is in tandem with the ICA Cooperative Principle number 5. Education, Training, and Information – Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operatives. They inform the general public – particularly young people and opinion leaders – about the nature and benefits of cooperation.

On the part of the NNPC-KRPC Cooperative, leading the management team to host their visitors was the Vice President Mrs. Rifkat Ezekiel together with the General Secretary Mr. Bindo alongside other executives of the society. They informed their visitors about their society telling them about their brief history from when it was established in 1998, the society’s vision and mission including their main objectives to empower their members and to improve their living standards. They also let them into some of their major projects embarked upon for their members both in Kaduna and Abuja such as building Houses, Three SuperMarkets, a Petrol Filling Station, a Digital Gas Plant, and a Microfinance Bank with a Cash Center, etc.

In conclusion, the management tea of NNPC-KRPC Cooperative expressed their excitement to have the delegation from CABSCICS Ltd visit them which to them is a welcome development to aid collaboration and more synergy that would surely encourage cross-fertilization and pollination of ideas that could yield greater results for other cooperatives across the country if adhered to.

Highlights of the visitation were when NNPC-KRPC Cooperative took their visitors around the office, showing them different departments and units as well as taking them to their Supermarket situated within the Cooperative Office.

To understand more about the global Cooperative Principle number 5 & 6 find below as captured in the NCBA-CLUSA submission on the principles;

PRINCIPLE #5 – EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND INFORMATION

To run a co-op successfully, promoting and spreading education is a necessity. Every individual involved with a cooperative needs to be well informed about the way they operate, their purposes, and the responsibilities of each person. Members, employees, managers, and elected officials all need continual training as the cooperative evolves and changes over time. If they are well-versed in the co-op’s policies, regulations, values, and principles, they’ll all be able to contribute more effectively to its development.

But education shouldn’t stop at the cooperative’s internal members. It should also extend to the surrounding community and the general public. Members can teach others about the beneficial nature of cooperative businesses and encourage interest in their organization. Informing younger generations and community leaders not only creates outside approval and awareness but may also encourage interested individuals to join the organization.

Internal and external education are both necessary parts of cooperative practices. Continual member training helps cooperatives develop, advance, and adapt to new technologies, helping them become better business entities. It also supports co-ops in adjusting to other changes, such as changes in laws, social trends, or the economy.

Beyond the cooperative itself, education encourages the spread of information. It helps create relationships with universities and supports research regarding the cooperative movement. With formal research, co-ops can help spread educational material to governments and officials and inform future policies. Teaching the wider public about the history, principles, and day-to-day operations of a co-op can create a stronger, more supportive local community.

Overall, continual education is crucial for a cooperative to function. Regardless of how far a co-op’s outreach goes, there’s always a core purpose in mind — to nurture a more complete understanding of the nature of cooperation as well as to emphasize its benefits.

PRINCIPLE #6 – COOPERATION AMONG COOPERATIVES

While co-ops are independent of one another and run by autonomous individuals, they also need to work together harmoniously. Creating a larger network of cooperatives — locally, regionally, nationally, or even internationally — allows independent organizations to better serve their members. Each co-op brings its unique abilities and contributions to the table, and they function with more strength as a unit.

Not only do individual members benefit from the connectivity, but it also helps the cooperative as a whole. Developing larger structures that span multiple cooperatives strengthens the movement through combined efforts and support. The networks can then work together across organizations to better serve their members. They can also choose to work with other structures that will serve the common good of the members and the movement as a whole.

Creating a stable structure establishes independent co-ops as both social and economic entities in relation to other groups and organizations. Forming these networks allows co-ops and their collaborators to gain a mutual benefit from one another, rather than compete against one another for profit, like non-cooperative businesses. Working together emphasizes the value of solidarity.