By Sunday Apah
President of Greater Heights Multi-purpose Co-operative Society Limited, DSC, Orhuwhorun, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief (Dr.) Freeman Ikpen, has stated that their target is to make the co-operative society the best in on the state
Ikpen who made this known in his speech during the 19th Annual General Meeting of Greater Heights Multi-purpose Co-operative Society, said the AGM was conveyed to X-ray the strength and weakness of members as they move towards realising their economic
goals.
According to him, “as part of our internal training and retraining, the concept of co-operative society stems from the era of ‘osusu’ cooperative, being a selfless and thankless service. We do not look at
expired ideas; rather, we focus on those that can lead us forward.”
“It is a known fact that co-operative business started in heaven when God said, “let us make man in our own image. So, there was cooperation and that’s what cooperative is all about It is associated with progress; thus, we are all progressives.
“A progressive is a person or idea that is intended to move society forward, there
are no 1st, 2nd or 3rd class citizens in a cooperative society irrespective of when you join,” he said.
“I wish to solicit for a reappraisal of extant co-operative protocol in order to strengthen their provision vis-a-vis resources control and individual strategic positions to avoid clash of interest and overlapping of oversight functions because when men and women continually overstep their bounds of decency and commitment, it becomes an endemic behavioral cancer which no health facility can handle,” he added
“Thus, there is the need for periodic overhauling and swapping of positions to forestall monopoly among the various
adhoc committees and tenures of office holders specified accordingly. I appeal to anyone so appointed into any of the committees to happily accept the responsibility.
“Our manifest destination is to be the guardian and symbol of cooperative guinea piggery in Delta State, Nigeria and possibly in the diaspora.
“Thank God, we have not had any cause to be involved in any form of issues which has dragged many societies into the mud,” he clarified.
“I am also elated to announce that we can now give loan seamlessly to some members because of our co-operative spirit which has been rekindled overtime. The executive is eminently appreciated for being there at all times with little or no financial inducement which typifies the
selflessness and thanklessness of cooperative service,” he added.
The Chairman of the occasion and National Publicity Secretary of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Chief Luke Djebah; the Chairman of the Association of Pensioners (Delta State), Hon. Chief Savbede; representatives of Isoko Cooperative Federation, Chief (Dr.) Edegware and Samson Ofualagba, in their related speeches commended efforts of the executives and members of the cooperative in maintaining their positive strides.
They noted that their annual analysis showed that they were very prudent with their finances and advised them to continue with their drive to become one of the best co-operative societies in Delta state.
Highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of awards of excellence to Chief James Toka for his strong dedication in ensuring the success and smooth operation of the co-operative; Mr. Johnson Arilibe for marketing and increasing the overall membership strength of the society and Mrs. Princess Rosemary Ighomuaye Oru for long outstanding female member all through the turbulence of the society.
Also, souvenirs were presented to the President of the co-operative society, Chief (Dr.) Ikpen and other members of the society for their efforts in ensuring the society remained virile.
Representative of the Ovie of Orhuwhorun, Chief Moses Bokor; Pastor Frank Cotton, Pastor Efe Ikpen, Chief Jerome Akpoveta, Omorohwo Edafe Kenneth, Pastor Anthony Osogono, John Ishaka Esq and others attended the ceremony.
