In its efforts to revitalise existing cooperatives and support the establishment of new ones, the Department of Cooperative Development (DoCD) under the Ministry of Agriculture has announced that as of 1st August, has embarked on general inspection and audit of all Cooperative Produce Marketing Societies (CPMS) commonly referred to as SECCOs. The exercise will last through 30th September. The DoCD says this move is in line with the Cooperative Act, Cap 50.02; and its new Policy.
The authorities in a press release, affirmed that the activity intends to normalise all CPMS/SECCOS on the following criteria: the existence of an executive or management committee with evidence of meeting minutes in the last 3 years, the availability of an original cooperative registered certificate and an original/copy by-law currently adopted by the cooperative society, has organized an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the last 5 years, has an audited financial account of the last 3 years and, holds a current membership register of the society.
SECCOs that are not compliant to the criteria outlined are required to visit DoCD in Bakau to undergo scrutiny, otherwise shall be banned to conduct any fertilizer sales or purchase groundnut next season