GOVT CAN’T SOLVE ALL PROBLEMS

GOVT CAN’T SOLVE ALL PROBLEMS – DIRECTOR COOPERATIVE DEVT
By Gideon Ekere

The Director of multi-purpose co-operative in the Bureau of co-operative Development, Government Office Mr. Akpan Udo has said that poverty can be eradicated if individuals do away with the belief that only government can solve their problems.

            He said this recently in Essien Udim Local Government Area at the launching of 2009/2010 Almanac and award presentation organized by Essien Annang Multi-Purpsoe co-operative Union Ltd, Nto Nsek.

            “We can’t wait for the government to solve all our problems. You must join the co-operative and if you join the co-operative, along the live, someone may help you.

            “We can’t sit down and surrender to poverty. I often tell people that we can eradicate poverty in this country because it has been done in some countries what we have in some countries is relative poverty and not absolute poverty. We want to eradicate the kind of poverty that separates you from others. You need to go the places where training and workshops are organized”, he said.

            The director observed that inability of some people to overcome the forces of the environment was the reason why the remained poor, adding that if you are not able to confront your environment, you are going to be poor. We don’t need to be poor if we do the right thing”.

            Udo also identified lack of access to information, access to capital and inability to access stable market as some of the major challenges facing Nigerians in the quest to eradicate poverty.

            Earlier in an address, the president of Essien Annang Multi-Purpose Co-operative Dr. Innocent Sunday Ekanem said that at inception, it was not easy, when nobody knew us, but God created us for purpose and such purpose is fulfilling today, adding that the union witnessed many ebbs and flow till the waves of limitation were over. This is was pertinent in the struggle for unity, building of societies, recognition, certificates and loans. The tempo on some of them has changed, and we are looking forward to the government of or dear state to balance these inadequacies in terms of grants, loans because. Since we came on board. The union has only received N200,000 loan in 2002 from the government. That loan was refunded as at when due with interest agreed upon, and we got back our certificate, he said.

            Dr. Ekanem pointed out that although the loan was not sufficient for a population of 100,000 people but influenced the union positively to an extent of purchasing a pledge land. Adding that the strength of any nation lies in her population thus the union has grown from 5 societies since November 2008 to 12 societies with a population over hundred thousand and by the year 2012 the entire 140 villages in Essien Udim will have a society each and that will explode our index number to an advantage of obtaining government contract like Stemco and Julus Beggar. 

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