By Wilbet Ijeoma
The National Orientation Agency Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society (NOAFMCS) today held her annual general meeting being the 11th edition to celebrate a remarkable financial year, give stewardship account of Excos and elect new Excos.
The event held at NOA hall, Federal Secretariat, Asaba was squarely attended by members of the cooperative, Excos of the mother Union and sister-cooperatives which include NDE, NBS and others.
The President of NOAFMCS, Mrs Patricia Umunna reviewed the past financial year which she adjudged as remarkable, announcing almost 200% increase in Net Suplus from 2024 to 2025 financial year.
Umunna, who also is the NOA Deputy Director Human Resources, attributed this milestone achievement to the financial prudence, transparency, accountability and dedication of the management committee while being resilient in spite of challenges.
Speaking further, Mrs. Umunna identified some challenges facing the cooperative which include decline in membership strength as a result of staff retirement, multiple online borrowing by members, non-remittance from source and difficulty in loan recovery.
Responding to the President’s remarks, Mr Andy Enwema who represented the President of the mother union Oshimili I Cooperative discouraged online borrowing which he described as wrecking, adding that cooperators can approach the Excos for loan consideration.
The President further responded to concerns raised on welfare packages for cooperators at the end of the year, and noted that cooperators have different tastes and therefore resorted to approving monetary equivalence of the welfare packages which is credited to cooperators’ bank accounts.
Comrade Abel Johngold opined that soft loans should not be restricted to Christians only during Xmas period but muslims and traditional adherents during their celebration periods – a concern well noted by the President. Johngold ceased the opportunity to give a vote of thanks to the outgoing Exco, commending them for a stellar performance, while moving a motion for the dissolution of the management committee (Exco).
The business of nomination and election of a new management committee, moderated by Mr. Andy Enwema, returned Mrs Patricia Umunna as President, Mrs Ngozi Onyema as Vice President, Mrs Florence Nwabuzor as Secretary, Mrs Sarah Owere as Treasurer and Comrade Wilbet Ijeoma as Executive Member.
In an acceptance speech,.Mrs Umunna, on behalf of the newly elected Excos, thanked the cooperative for the confidence reposed in her Exco and prayed that Nigeria will be better for fruitful business in years to come.
NOA State Director, Mrs Tracy Ikolomi thanked the cooperative for a stellar performance and charged the newly elected Excos to do better in coming years.
She decried the poor turnout at the AGM in spite of members cutting across the 25 LGAs of Delta State and suggested that online meetings should be explored in subsequent meetings to enable members in distant locations to attend meetings. She also charged the newly elected Excos to embark on membership drive as some newly employed staff of the Agency are yet to join while some older members have bowed out of service on retirement.
She concluded by commending members who attended from surrounding LGAs and prayed for profitable business years ahead
Highlights of the event were review of financial records of the year, vote of thanks, dissolution of excos, nomination and election of new excos, refreshments and group photographs.
