Review of the outdated and outdated law on cooperatives – AGRICOOPS

General News on Friday, July 5th, 2019

Source: Charles Addo

2019-07-05

The Secretary General of the Association of Producers 'and Agricultural Producers' Cooperatives (AGRICOOPS) said that the Ghana Parliament's inability to revise the Cooperative Society Act (NLCD 252) of 1968, which is out of date and out of sync with modern laws. This trend seriously affects the activities of agricultural cooperatives.

This has aggravated the poor performance of the agricultural cooperative sector, which can create millions of sustainable jobs in Ghana.

It is in this context that the Cooperative Association of Agricultural Producers and Marketers of Ghana (AGICOOPS), established in 1974 and affiliated to the Ghana Cooperation Council (GCC), has faced many challenges and initiated reorganization processes. . support from the Private Sector Defense Challenge Fund (BUSAC FUND) to conduct research aimed at identifying the challenges posed by the Cooperative Society Act of 1968 and its effects on the development of agricultural cooperatives.

Two-day awareness workshops were held in Ashaiman, Greater Accra region, and Sunyani, Bono region, to disseminate research findings to stakeholders and obtain their contributions. .

Participants included members of agricultural cooperatives, civil society organizations, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the secretariat of AGRICOOPS and staff of the cooperative department.

The research that was circulated and discussed included the following conclusions:
• Apart from the hostile nature of the current cooperative law, cooperatives are not allowed to be part of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce.

• That some people and organizations view cooperatives as a way to leverage donor funding.

• The current law of 1968 also fails some of the principles of independence and democracy of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) in generating income and seeking profits.

According to Mrs. Christiana Sackey, a member of the Prampram Fish Mongers Cooperative Society and National Treasurer of AGRICOOPS, "Since our cooperative society was incorporated about 33 years ago, no cooperative officer has visited us.

After we register, we are left to our fate. In response to this, West Dangbe District Co-op Director Mr. Agyapong said, "This is because of the weakness of our workforce, logistics and resources"

According to Mr. William Darlie, Deputy Registrar of Cooperatives at the Accra Awareness Workshop, about eighty (80) of their employees will be retiring next year and there are no replacement plan to recruit new employees.

Robertson Obiri-Adjei, regional director of the Cooperatives Department of Bono East and Ahafo Regions, said the lack of support and attention from the government meant that the country could derive no significant benefits from the companies cooperatives.

Over the years, the department has continued to be neglected, which has rendered it ineffective in fulfilling its mandate.

According to Mr Victor Atsu Alorbu, the general director of AGRICOOPS members lacks the services required by the Cooperatives Department, which prevents him from putting the principles of cooperatives into practice enough.

Given the success of agricultural co-operatives in Ghana in the early 1960s, before N.L.C.D 252 was promulgated as a decree to regulate cooperatives, it was reported that co-operatives exported about 40% of the cocoa produced in Ghana.

The agricultural cooperative has also achieved the following successes in the past:

• Celebrating the first World Food Day in Ghana: The celebration of the first World Food Day, which culminated in the celebration of Ghana's Farmers' Day, was organized with support AGRICOOPS during the mobilization of farmers for the October 1986 event.

• First pineapple shipment to the Common Wealth show: In 1985, the first shipment of pineapple that exhibited the export value potential of the crop was made by AGRICOOPS.

• Mobilizing rural populations for development: at the height of AGRICOOPS 'activities, there were 200,000 primary societies with 80 unions with an average of 20 members per company.

• "Operation Feed Yourself": The success of this agricultural program is mainly due to the acceptance, education and mobilization of farmers, youth groups and women's groups through AGRICOOPS .

In the future, Mr. Kyei Bediako of the Ghana Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Forestry (GHANALAF) stressed the need for the Government to work with ministries and state agencies, civil society "to support the revision of Ghana's existing law to ensure that farmers receive support for their production and their contribution to Ghana's economic growth. "