Cooperative Workers Urged to Engage in Earning Extra Income – Experts

… reiterates making use of entrepreneurship skills to earn extra income.

… to be innovative, and enhance economic and human capital development.

From every indication of our economic sector, it is very glaring that one source of income may not be convenient enough for any family to take care of her domestic needs, hence the urge for extra/additional sources of income should be a paramount choice devoid of compromise.

The CEO Sunny Tee Consult, a Cooperative Expert and Cooperative Lecturer, Mr. S.O.T. Taiwo revealed this while speaking at the 7th Annual Seminar organized by Ogun State Cooperative Managers Association (OGSCOMAS) Egba Zone on Monday, 28th August 2023 Oba K.O Olubiyi Conference Hall, Tayo Sobanjo building, Cooperative House, Asero Abeokuta, Ogun State with the theme “Shaping the future of Cooperative staff”.

Mr. S.O.T Taiwo posited “It is no gain saying that the current level of poverty in the country has not dropped for so many years but rather continues to rise seriously due to the unfavorable trend of her economic situation. Even without mincing words, it is evident that an increase in the salaries of workers may not totally cover the chain effects of an increase in prices of goods and commodities. Most workers and businessmen are finding it very difficult to cope with the upkeep of their homes conveniently. Most homes have been broken, and most businesses have already collapsed beyond resuscitation. This is why it has gotten to a situation for workers and salary earners like cooperative staff to look for other profitable ventures that can attract extra income in order to make ends meet. In doing this, two options are opened in this regard: either to communicate your talent/skill and turn it to resources or engage yourself on a part-time basis on an additional job. Fortunately, the organizers of this seminar have made it very clear by emphasizing the former, i.e., Making use of entrepreneurship skills to earn extra income”.

The epoch-making event also witnessed a paper presentation on the topic “Understanding Corporate Administration in Cooperative Society” delivered by Mr. Whesin Sunday Olaoluwa.

Mr. Whesin said, “The cooperative movement in recent times appears to have started addressing the issue of corporate administration. Therefore to achieve and understand corporate administration in cooperative society, the executives, board of directors, the members and employees of cooperative societies must show good commitment towards accountability and to access the significance of member participants in the democratic process”.

In his remarks at the event, the President of Ogun State Cooperative Federation Limited (OGSCOFED), Alhaji Wasiu Olaleye ably represented by the Executive Secretary of OGSCOFED Limited, Mr. Ayelabola called on the Managers to be innovative and enhance the economy and human capital development that will contribute to the growth and development of our Cooperative Societies.

Meanwhile, the State President of Ogun State Cooperative Managers Association (OGSCOMAS), Pastor Oluyiga Gbodi, whose address was read by Mr. Akiwowo Olusegun said, “I am highly honoured to be here today as this gathering is for the advancement of cooperative managers and cooperatives in Ogun State. It is high time we take our personal development into our hands as managers. Self-development should always be in our minds as professionals. Henry Ford said, and I quote “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”

“It is therefore essential to always make ourselves available to platforms where you can learn and increase your knowledge because that is where self-development begins,” he added.

In his welcome address, the President of Ogun State Cooperative Managers Association (OGSCOMAS) Egba Zone, Mr. AbdulRazaq Isiaq Babatunde said “With all pleasure, I join the Chairman of the Organizing Committee to welcome you all to the 7th Annual Seminar of OGSCOMAS (Egba Zone) in Ogun State, which is aimed to improve the performance of Cooperative Managers and Account Officers. You must have noticed that a period like this, is deliberately chosen to refresh, retrain, teach, and prepare managers and account officers on guidelines for the preparation of Societies, Union, and Apexes throughout Egba Zone”.

Mr. Isiaq Babatunde further stated that “we are not “Damagers” as been called by some people, we are far from that, and we distance ourselves from such. Having said these, look around the successful societies, Union, and Apex that allow the input of their managers you will see a clear difference, that is what is been discussed at our monthly meetings and seminars as our association is not formed as a Pressure Group like Trade or Labour Unions where we discuss the lapses of our employers, instead, we discuss how to bring our societies, Union, Apex from grass to grace and we will continue to do so”.

He mentioned some of the efforts of managers to make the Cooperative more viable, visible, and attractive in Ogun State and in Nigeria at large, and later appealed to all Cooperative Stakeholders to support the seminar annually.