COOPERATIVES AS AGENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (2008-2012)
(A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ENUGU STATE)
ABSTRACT
Co-operative societies was established to help rural dwellers who are less privileged, who don’t have enough capital to carry out their business enterprise. In what ways have co-operative societies helped in the development of rural areas.     It was the aim of this research work to find out if co-operative societies have any impact in the development of the rural areas, the changes created so far and the suggestions as well. This research work has five chapters.  Chapter one contains a general discussion of the origin of the word co-operative as a result of the problems caused by the capitalists. It went further to state the problems to be studied and why this study was carried out, the research questions and what will be the benefits of it later, the scope and limitations of the study and finally, the definition of terms. A member of past-related literature examined by other studies, as it relates to the co-operative societies and rural development are highlighted in chapter two. Chapter three deals with the methodology for the study, population of the study, development of research materials, research procedure and treatment of data. In chapter four, the data got from the research surveyed were analysed and interpreted. Also similar questions on both questionnaires were compared.    Finally, the summary of findings on the research and recommendations made the conclusion by the researcher are all in chapter five.       If co-operative societies and rural people would put the recommendations made in the study to use, there would only be increased and improved in their standard of their living but will also ensure continous growth and development in the area.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Chapter One
Introduction
1.0        Background of the study                               
1.1    Statement of the Problem                     
1.2    Objective of the study                          
1.3    Significance of the Study                              
1.5    Research Question                                       
1.6    Scope of the Study                                      
1.7    Limitations of the study                                
1.8    Definition of Terms                                      
Chapter Two
2.0        Review of Related Literature                 
Chapter Three
3.0    Research Design and Methodology                 
3.1    Area of Study                                             
3.2    Population of the study                         
3.3    Determination of Sample Size                        
3.4    Sample Size                                               
3.5    Sample Techniques                                      
3.6    Sources of Data                                  
3.7    Research Procedure                                     
3.8    Treatment of Data                                       
Chapter Four
4.1    Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data
Chapter Five
5.0    Summary of Findings, Recommendation and Conclusion
5.1    Summary of Findings                           
5.2    Recommendations                                       
5.3    Conclusions                                                
References
Questionnaire
CHAPTER ONE
1.0    INTRODUCTION
          In most developing countries, cooperative societies constitute the most important aspects of rural development. It was proposed as a result of the evils of the industrial revolution as of (1750 – 1850. It was when the factory owners (the capitalists) exploited workers bitterly in order to maximize profit. During that period    unemployment was rife and were extremely low. There was child labour, shop keepers on their own part sold adulterated goods. The workers lived in crowded shanties in unsanitary conditions. The worked for more than twelve hours in ill ventilated factory buildings that looked like a prison yard
These anti-social effect of the life industrial revolutions resulted in wide spread of poverty and sufferings while others died of malnutrition, disease and starvation. Life was so hard that the decade became known as “hungry forties” it was because of all these problems that great men (workers) started fighting for social reform they retailiated with violence and strikes they condemned the evils of capitalist.
        It was then that the apostles of Robert owen (the Owenties) Dr Willian king, JohnLyod Charles Hawarth, Willaim owenite. Willaim Pare looked for the better way to solve their problems and later proposed the word co-operatives as a solution to wipe out those evils. The gospel spread all over the countries of the world throughout cooperatives movement.
        When they have succeeded in 1750 through the help of Rochadale pioneers of 1844, they carried on the gospel of cooperative. The rochdale pioneers include.
-      Charles fourier
-      Charles Donwin
-      Louise Blank
-      Phillipe scotta
-      Philipe Buchez
1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY      
        Cooperatives societies have spread all over the countries of Africa, more especially in Nigeria it was because of its vital roles towards the development of rural areas that led to its proposal after the F.C strick land report.
        Cooperative society help to reduce the sufferings of the less privileged ones living in the problem of poverty, unemployment and poor standard of living among rural dwellers need a self help organization were they will pool their little resources together to help themselves this will stop total dependence in government assistance by means of forming a cooperative society that is collective action they will be able to solve their individual problems.
        Cooperative is an association of people who comes together to solve their problems through mutual action. It raises its head in metropolitan as well as in cosmetropolitan environment. It was the uniqueness of cooperation and its flexibility permits it to be practiced among farmers, fishersmen, artisans and woman.
        Cooperative societies do not discriminate either in sex, religion or race, it is for all both producers and consumers, men and women the rich and the poor the educated and the illiterates engaged in cooperatives activities.
        Cooperatives societies has reached to various local government areas and was headed by divisional cooperative officers to promote cooperative in the area of the research was carried on to find out the development of Enugu east (ENUGU EAST) Local government area.
1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The research problem is
        Cooperative as agent of rural development. The development of rural areas cannot be achieved as was expected by rural dwellers. This is because people were much dependent in government to provide all their needs which they cannot be able to solve completely because of voluminous works and other needs they have to attain. Hence government encourages people to form organization in which they should come together to solve their problems.
        Cooperatives society is one of the major organization where people mostly in rural areas emerged together to achieve their set objectives the problem is to access how important cooperative societies it to the rural development.
1.3    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
          This research has the major objective of finding out the importance of cooperative society to rural development in Enugu East.
Specific objectives include:
-      Identify the help of cooperative society in motivation of rural people to form or join a cooperative society.
-      To know how they have helped in the provision of infrastructure facilities.
-      To access their help so far in educating the rural people.
-      To know how they have helped in providing the farmers with storage facilities.
-      To know whether they organized any market for the farmers.
-      To know how they have helped to solve unemployment problems in Enugu East local government area.
-      To know how they have helped them to raise their income.
-      To know also how they have helped the farmers to receive government assistance.
1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
        There is the need for the development of rural areas through cooperative societies. This study will show the importance of cooperative societies to the rural development in Enugu East local government area as a basis for offering uniformed suggestions for improvement in the rural development.
        It is believed that the findings, suggestions and recommendations of this study will be benefits to increase the importance of cooperative societies to rural development.              
Specifically this study will go a long way to developing rural areas this also may result to the improvement in the development of people as well as increasing their standard of living.
        The individual people would be well educated which will encourage in the establishment of cooperative business enterprise to enhance development. The provision of basic infrastructure facilities will be affordable and both cooperative societies and government would be involved in financing agricultural activities.        The availability of processing industries and storage facilities would be provided which will reduce the wastage of goods.
        Finally, the outcome of this study will be very useful to the development of Enugu East local government entirely.     
1.5    RESEARCH QUESTIONS
•How far have cooperative societies helped in the  provision of infrastructural facilities in Enugu East?  
•Do cooperative society help in educating of the rural dwellers?
•Do cooperatives help in eliminating the middlemen and the extortioners?
•Do cooperative society  organizes market for them?
•Whether cooperative society solve unemployment problem in the area?
•Do cooperative society helps them to receive government grants and subsidy?
•Do cooperative provide storage facilities for them?
•Do cooperative society encourage them to join cooperative societies
•Do cooperative help them to raise their income
•Whether cooperative societies increase their standard of living?
•Do cooperative help them in provision of transport facilities.
1.6    SCOPE OF THE STUDY
          The scope of this study is focused on cooperatives as agent of rural development in Enugu East local government area. It means that this research could not be carried out in all the rural areas in Nigeria, the study is limited based on the fact that there is no time and material resources to see to the whole nation.
        The findings may not be valid to the whole cooperatives societies and rural development but believed that what happened to Enugu East may be applied in other rural areas.
1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS
Cooperation:     it means the relationship between
individual people or cooperative organizations united together to help themselves through mutual action.
Rural Urban Migration: this also means urban rush,
the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas may be due to the problem of electricity or lack of job and good roads.
Onwernites:       they were people that fought for the
community and alleviate them from their suffering and abolished the evils of capitalism.
Rochdale Pioneers:   they were people that carried
out the gospel of cooperation after the twenties they formed the first modern cooperative societies in England with 28 weavers.