SOUTHERN PROVINCE MUHANGA — The Governor of the Southern Province has urged cooperatives to improve on the quality of products and service in order to meet requirements of regional markets. Fidel Ndayisaba, made the remarks on World Cooperatives Day, marked in the province on August 4. The event organised by UGAMA CSC- an umbrella organisation for cooperatives, was held at Muhanga cultural centre, Muhanga district. As part of the celebrations, a mini exhibition was organised. Over 20 cooperatives from Kamonyi, Muhanga and Ruhango districts participated in the event and displayed different products ranging from agricultural, livestock, technology, art and crafts, ICT, among others. The governor and the mayors toured different stalls and lauded the members for working towards community development Cooperatives. “Cooperatives are critical to community development and it is very encouraging to see that this is happening. However, there is need to have combined efforts of all members, improved products and services so as to enhance the standards and market competitions in the region,” Ndayisaba said. Ndayisaba also urged on the cooperatives to maintain the required hygiene and encourage more residents to join cooperatives in a bid to alleviate poverty. The exhibitors said that the replacement of associations with cooperatives has improved on their incomes. In associations, they argued, it was hard to get personal shares and dividends because members worked for general welfare of the community. “Today, we are only faced with problems of markets and lack of accountability among some officials, however there are some tremendous steps made in development,” an exhibitor said. Ends
