By Amos Harris
Cooperative Development Agency (CDA’s) Eugene S. Joboe, Jr says the CDA is not NGO but is a government agency with the statutory mandate to facilitate the organization of grass root associations, farmers and non-farmers based organizations, including women and youth groups into viable Cooperative societies throughout the Republic of Liberia.
The Deputy Registrar General for Cooperative Development Services, CDA, Mr. Joboe over the weekend said four proposed Cooperative Societies and full-fledged Cooperative Societies received Cooperative Permit and Certificate in Yarsonnoh Town, Saclepea-Mah Statutory District and Garplay Headquarters, Twah River Administrative District, Nimba County respectively.
The Deputy Registrar General for Cooperative Development Services urged Farmers to come together to produce more food and develop their respective communities, “please don’t take leadership in Cooperative management to eat Cooperative’s money because under the watchful eyes of the Registrar General, Madam Regina Sokan-Teah, anyone caught in the acts of eating money will go to court and pay for the Cooperative’s money.”
According to Deputy Registrar General Joboe, the Cooperative Development Agency also provides technical expertise, training, carry on audits for financial records of Cooperative Societies at least once a year to ensure human resource development and economic growth and settles disputes among cooperative societies and their members to ensure peaceful co- existence.
He said the mission of CDA is to facilitate the formation or organization of cooperative societies throughout Liberia and every socioeconomic sector based on the interest of those forming them and or using their services in context with the Cooperative Laws of Liberia and the seven international principles of Cooperatives.
He further told the gathering that the vision of CDA is to reach out in every community, facilitate the organization of new societies and re-activation of all pre-war societies as well as providing an enabling environment for good governance, best practices in cooperative management and encourage the inclusion of women and youth at all levels to constructively meet the challenges of national development through working with strong and viable cooperative societies.
Deputy Registrar General Eugene S. Joboe, Jr. promised the farmers that President Weah’s Government will continues to provide and work with development Partners to provide inputs and financial assistance.
Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the Farmers, Jerry T. Duo, and Chairperson for the Zean- Gbendia Multipurpose Farmers’ Cooperative Society, Bayleylay Town, and Nimba County praised National Government through the Cooperative Development Agency for the levels of organization training, inputs distributions and financial assistances they Farmers had and continues to receive from Government.
