The cooperative policy highlights the importance of cooperatives and reviews their past and present. It also scans through the constraints and opportunities which reflects on the national development policy

The Minister of Trade and Commerce, Monique Nsanzabaganwa has asked Southern Province local investors to adapt to fair competition in business.

Nsanzabaganwa made the appeal on Tuesday, whlile on a three day working tour to assess how the ministry was supporting local investors in the province and to stir development. The cooperative policy was also discussed during the tour.

The ministry is also working to improve life standards of local communities by creating job opportunities.

Nsanzabaganwa also told the local province investors that cooperatives should be legally owned enterprises, in order to satisfy their common needs.

The cooperative policy highlights the importance of cooperatives, reviews their past and present. It also scans through the constraints and opportunities which reflects in the national development policy.

Nsanzabaganwa also reiterated that the same policy lays out strategies and action plans aimed at orienting and ensuring that cooperatives become a viable tool for social-economic development in Rwanda.

"I believe that cooperative management is not only beneficial for cooperative leaders but for all members. Members have the right to inquire from their elected or appointed leaders about the day to day life of their cooperatives for purposes of transparency and accountability,” she emphasized.

She said this after observing that in a number of cooperatives the leaders have taken the associations as their own wealth, which is contrary to government policy.

Government views cooperatives as a potential vehicle to which its members could create employment opportunities and expand access to income-generating activities.

Cooperatives are a central element in civil society and each member has to be involved in the day to day life of their cooperative.

The Director in charge of Internal Trade in the Ministry of Commerce and Trade, Gaudence Mukamurenzi said cooperative managers should consider achieving more effective and equitable systems of resource management.

She also noted that many cooperative authorities have been trying to maintain monopoly in their areas of operation which is unfair to trade.

Mukamurenzi said that the current commercial law allows fair competition.

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