Lagos -------------------- The Lagos government has asked cooperative societies to embrace cashless policy through digitalisation to forestall fraudulent practices.
The Provost, Lagos State Cooperative Societies, Akorede Ojomu, spoke at the opening of a five-day training, programme for cooperative societies at Agege, Lagos State, with its theme: “Digital Transformation Strategies for Cooperative Societies during COVID and Post-COVID-19 Era.’’
Ojomu further said that cashless policy would help in minimising cash-based transactions and fraud in the administration of cooperative societies, adding that Nigeria was at the age and stage where effective application of digital technology were inevitable to the survival of business entities.
According to Ojomu, the need for proactive actions that would guarantee the continued existence and growth of cooperative societies was very imperative at this stage of the country's growth.
He also said that the training had become necessary in order to take account of the needs of cooperative societies in the dynamic world of digitalisation.
His words, “The training programme will assist cooperative societies in dealing with challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in relation to the increasing use of digital technology in the delivery of business operations and services.
“We must ensure that no stone is left unturned in our efforts at securing the future of our business operations.
“We are resolved to benchmark local cooperative activities with global standards through this capacity building initiative.
“Such initiative will upscale the managerial competencies and skills of cooperators toward the deployment of digital technology and expertise in the exploitation of emerging opportunities in the cooperative business environment.”
He further said that participants would undergo various trainings, including: Data Analysis, using excel application, Cyber Security, Accounting, Entrepreneurship and Understanding Cooperative Business Model.
Others included, Digital Literacy, Business Planning and Control in Cooperative Management and Economic Self-reliance and Digital Transformation Strategy, among others.
He implored the participants to take maximum advantage of the training and get the best out of it.
Earlier, the Registrar of the college, Mrs Risikat Osomo, had said that the training would help the cooperators improve their skills adding that,100 participants registered for the training programme which, she said, was open to all cooperators across the state.
The college was set up by the state government, with the mandate to provide sound cooperative education and high skill manpower for cooperative movements in the state.
It also has the responsibility of providing economic empowerment as a channel for acquisition of appropriate entrepreneurial skills among several others.
