By Mercy Obojeghren
The Delta Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Mary Iyasere says the ministry has registered 37,460 cooperative societies in the state with financial strength of N38billion.
Iyasere disclosed this on Wednesday at a ministerial briefing organised by the Ministry of Information in Asaba.
“The cooperative movement constitutes the various cooperative organisations in the state and has a capital base of about N38billion, internally generated by co-operators domiciled in the various cooperative societies, unions and apex bodies.
“The cooperative societies are expected to be self-financing by generating the necessary finances for their operations through their members, but their mopped up funds are still grossly inadequate for their business operations,’’ she said.
Iyasere said that the need for state government to assist the groups through provision of micro-credit facilities to boost their capital base had become imperative.
“This is because they have been identified as veritable tools for economic growth,’’ she said.
On achievements of the ministry, the commissioner said the ministry was supervising four industrial estates which were currently undergoing development.
“The four estates are located in Asaba, Warri, Ebede in Ndokwa East Local and Ikwewu-Amukpe in Sapele local government area of the state.
“The Asaba industrial estate which is about one square kilometer has been acquired demarcated and all plots of lands have been allocated,’’ she said.
Iyasere further said the state government was in the process of providing social infrastructure to the estate.
According to her, the Warri industrial estate comprises of 100 hectres with the beacons surrounding the estate already identified.
She said that the acquisition of the land process was yet to be completed.
“The Egbede industrial estate is targeted to host industries which will harness the rich gas deposit in the area but the land acquisition is also yet to be completed.
“Those are efforts of the government spearheaded by the ministry to open Delta for inflow of investments,’’ Iyasere said.
