Survey Of The Factors Affecting The Growth Of Co-Operative Society

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Modern Co-operatives blossomed out of the need to provide economic salvation to common men who were economically exploited during the heat days of the industrial revolution. This view was strongly supported by Okonkwo (1989) who describes the co-operative movement as an invention of necessity, originated from the evils of the industrial revolution from the device adopted by the suffering working classes of the industrial revolution to alleviate their private condition.
In Nigeria the general term co-operatives existed before the accent of modern co-operatives which have high degree of potency for economic salvation. The form of cooperative which is as traditional as it is reciprocal in operation has the precious intent of solving an existential economic problem of the members who have voluntarily agreed to work together for their welfare.

Onuoha (1998) noticed that in the wildest sense of the world, cooperative means of people working together to achieve a common purpose. As such if it is an old man and that cooperative is the outward expression of the instinctive spirit of human solidarity and brotherhood present in every human being.

Frankly, the agitation for modern and scientific co-operation in the most economic sense as we conceive it today was said to started in England within the first part of the nineteenth century. Within the period that could be tagged the embryonic stage of modern cooperative, very serious struggle by pioneer cooperators lasted woefully. However, Onuoha (1998) observed that Rochdale society of equitable pioneers was the first successful cooperative that was established in 1844. he further observed that the society was registered under the friendly societies Act on October 28, 1844 but the shop did not open for business until December 21, 1844.

In Enugu metropolis, very variable co-operative bank – the co-operative bank of Eastern Nigeria was established to render financial services to it members and the general public. The bank collapsed after it wide growth but one could not determine the cause of the collapse or whether the cause is synonymous to the failure of early co-operative movement.
Similarly, other promising co-operative societies in Enugu metropolis died surprisingly even at a time the widespread is massively expected. The cause of the gradual extinction of cooperatives worried the researcher hence the very good rational for this study. Traditionally, it is known that poor fendors mal-administration and lack of observance of cooperative principles and ideals may have the proper functions of co-operatives.

It is also not known whether the cause of the failure is similar to the cause of failure of manufactors industries as out hired by Donnel (1994).
1. Finance and lack of money to run the business.
2. Location, if not situated in a strategic area.
3. Effect of armed robbers to a growing industries.
4. Discontinuities in policies and practices.
5. Government interference in the management of the industries.
In the most interest of truth and good judgment, the above obstacles process the strongest efficiency to pull down the growth mining of any good business.

In this project effort were directed at investigating all those factors that could

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The international co-operative Alliance define cooperative as “an autonomo9us association of persons limited voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.
Co-operative societies have not been a volent introduction in the business sector in Nigeria economy, but to the help rendered by government.
What could be the reason of its failure in Nigeria. Could it be lack of spirit of cooperative expertise or lack of autonomous.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is to:
1. Determine problems encountered by co-operative societies in Enugu metropolis.
2. Find out the causes of the problems.
3. Find out the nature of the problems.
4. Determine whether those problems caused the collapse of cooperative societies in Enugu metropolis.
5. Make recommendation on how to present – collapse or co-operative societies in Enugu metropolis.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study of the factors effecting the growth of cooperative societies in this part of the country are dying fast. Regrettably, the efforts of educational institution that hiring co-operatives technicalities and functions have not improved the situation either.
However, it is expected that the result of the findings in this work shall be usefully to the few surviving cooperatives in Enugu urban in how to run co-operative societies effectively and efficiently. The result of the findings of this research shall also be useful to various educational institutions offering co-operative experts on proper management and running of cooperatives.
Finally, this research result shall be useful to government in making good policies concerning the administration of cooperative in Enugu state. All cooperative in Enugu metropolis shall find this work very hardy in guarding against certain obstacles that might improve on the success of their cooperative societies.

1.5 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This research work determined only the factors affecting the growth of cooperative societies in Enugu urban.

1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS.

1. Do co-operative societies in Enugu encounter problem?
2. What are problems encountered by cooperative societies?
3. Do cooperatives societies employ trained workers?
4. What are the cause of failure of cooperative societies?
5. What could be done to prevent the features once?

1.7 ASSUMPTION OF THE STUDY
This research work concentrated on the finding out the factors affecting the growth of cooperatives in Enugu urban. Observed, many cooperative societies in Enugu urban are no longer functioning, it is assumed that mal-administration and lack of interest of the members in the affairs of the operatives could be responsible for their collapse. It is also assumed that if cooperatives rest of the members shall be maximally protected.
The protection of the membership interest through efficient service shall equally result to the success of the cooperative societies especially where the cooperative principles and the idea are maintained. Holy cake in Onuoha (1998) outlined Rochdale principles of cooperatives thus:
1. Open membership.
2. Democratic control.
3. Limited interest on capital.
4. Patronage refund.
5. Cash trading at marketing price.
6. Sales of pure and unadulterated goods.
7. Political and religious Neutrality.
8. Continuous Education of members.

1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The main limitation of this study is the unwillingness of some respondents and inability to reach all members of the sample that received the questionnaire on the process of oral-interview to disclose certain information on the factors that lead to the failure of cooperatives in Enugu urban. And explained purely in the manner in which they were used in this report/
There is also the mobility to have access to any relevant records of the problems that leads to the failure of cooperatives in Enugu urban and in other to carry on a meaningful research due to lack of finance.
Again there is inability of the researcher to make use of certain and more appropriate data during his study, due to his limited knowledge, he could not obtain such instruments. The attitude of the respondent towards the researcher was another part where the researcher encountered difficulty due to low educational level of the people studied.