CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES AS VERITABLE TOOLS IN PROMOTING SELF-RELIANCE AMONG RETIRED CIVIL SERVANTS: A CASE STUDY OF UDU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE

TOPIC IS SUITABLE FOR:
1. Department of Cooperative Economics and Management

2. Department of Business Administration

3. Department of Economics

4. Department of Public Administration

TOPIC: CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES AS VERITABLE TOOLS IN PROMOTING SELF-RELIANCE AMONG RETIRED CIVIL SERVANTS: A CASE STUDY OF UDU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE

TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

1.2 Statement of the Problem

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1.4 Research Questions

1.5 Research Hypotheses

1.6 Significance of the Study

1.7 Scope of the Study

1.8 Limitations of the Study

1.9 Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW/REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES

2.1 Conceptual Framework

 2.2 Theoretical Framework

2.3 Empirical Review

2.4 Tabular Presentation of Empirical Literature

2.5 Gaps in Literature Review 

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design

3.2 Area of Study

3.3 Population of the Study

3.4 Sample Size and Sampling Technique

3.5 Sources of Data and Instrument for Data Collection

3.6 Method of Data Collection

3.7 Method of Data Analysis

3.8 Validity and Reliability of Instruments

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Data Presentation

4.3 Analysis of Data

4.4 Discussion of Findings

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary of Findings

5.2 Conclusion

5.3 Recommendations

5.4 Suggestions for Further Studies

REFERENCES

APPENDIX 

ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to examine co-operative societies as veritable tools in promoting self-reliance among retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. The study was specifically carried out to examine the role of cooperative societies in income generation among retired civil servants, determine the influence of cooperative societies on entrepreneurial development among retired civil servants, examine the role of cooperative societies in enhancing financial independence among retired civil servants, and assess the contribution of cooperative societies to the economic well-being of retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. The study employed the survey descriptive research design. Hence, the questionnaire was used for data collection, while the data collected were analyzed using frequency tables, mean scores, and standard deviation. The hypotheses test was conducted using simple linear regression statistical tool. The population of the study comprised retired civil servants who were registered members of cooperative societies in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, while a sample size of 205 was determined using Taro Yamane formula and a validated sample size of 190 respondents was used based on properly completed questionnaires selected through multi-stage (stratified and convenience) sampling technique. From the responses obtained and analyzed, the findings revealed that cooperative societies have significant role in income generation among retired civil servants at R² = 0.61, F = 145.32, P = .000, while also showing significant influence on entrepreneurial development at R² = 0.66, β = 0.81, P = .000. The study further revealed that cooperative societies significantly enhance financial independence at R² = 0.62, β = 0.79, P = .000, and significantly contribute to economic well-being at R² = 0.67, β = 0.82, P = .000 among retired civil servants in the study area. The study therefore recommends that cooperative societies should strengthen access to credit facilities, intensify entrepreneurship training, improve savings and welfare schemes, and that government should support cooperative development through enabling policies to enhance retirees’ self-reliance and economic stability.

Keywords: Cooperative Societies, Self-Reliance, Retired Civil Servants, Income Generation, Financial Independence.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION (Preview)
1.1 Background of the Study
Economic development in many developing economies has consistently been shaped by the interaction between formal institutions and community-based economic arrangements that support livelihood sustainability. With the passage of time, it was noticed that collective efforts help achieve inclusive growth, especially in situations where the state welfare systems are weak. In emerging societies, economic resilience has been strengthened by indigenous support systems which enable access to resources and social protection (Foláyan et al, 2025). Likewise, Asante (2022) pointed out that community-based financial structures have always been used as buffers during times of economic volatility. Kayode et al (2021) noted the existence of grassroots economic frameworks that continue to supplement formal economic policies particularly in the support of the vulnerable population in Nigeria. This has been enhanced by the changing socio-economic requirements which necessitate co-responsibility and mutual aid. Similarly, Olujimi et al (2021) underscored the important role collective economic activity continues to play in maintaining the social and economic well-being of households in many African societies. This wide base sets the importance of cooperative-based approaches to socio-economic transitions.

Co-operative societies are voluntary groups of people who come together to pursue economic, social and cultural goals through democratically-controlled and co-owned businesses. Cooperative structures, according to Abimbola et al (2022), were based on principles of mutual aid, equity and shared responsibility, which allowed cooperative members to pool resources for the common good. Sule et al (2021), in addition, noted that cooperatives acted as financial intermediaries and facilitated the members to have access to credit, mobilization of saving and investment opportunities. These societies have been seen by Ebimgbo et al (2021) to have contributed much in reducing financial exclusion through their ability to offer affordable financial services to members who are often denied access to formal financial services. Musa et al (2022) further stated that cooperatives had also been used for capacity development and economic empowerment for capacity acquisition and support for entrepreneurship. Chukwudi & Ojo (2023) and Ugwu & Idemudia (2023) also noted that cooperative societies were based on democratic principles which allowed for equal participation in decision making processes. This framework helped to reinforce the role of the cooperative as an important tool for economic development and financial inclusion of communities.

Retired civil servants are a group of people who are making the transition from a career of public service to retirement, possibly needing alternative ways to maintain their income and involvement in society. Olujimi et al (2021) stated that retirement was often accompanied by economic adjustment problems; which required new livelihood strategies for sustained economic wellbeing. Kayode et al (2021) observed that there was growing emphasis on self-reliance of the retired persons as a way of reducing their reliance on the unreliable pension systems and inadequate welfare services. Ugwu et al (2024) noted that cooperative societies have afforded retirees a platform to mobilize their savings, obtain soft loans, and participate in income-generating activities. Foláyan et al (2025) went on to explain that such collective arrangements facilitated retirees to stay economically active and socially cohesive. Abimbola et al (2022) further noted that cooperative involvement facilitated members to be financially disciplined and to have a culture of investment. Here self-reliance meant the ability of retirees to provide for themselves through structured collective economic activities and not exclusively on the basis of the state's solutions or the families' support systems.

Udu Local Government Area of Delta State is a socio-economic space where cooperative engagement has become more relevant in the context of livelihood transition of retired civil servants. In Delta State, the participation of cooperatives had increased as a way of responding to the ever increasing needs for financial empowerment and sustainability after retirement (Ijeoma & Nwadiuto, 2025). Musa et al (2022) noted that local cooperative groups had boosted economic involvement at the community level through structured savings and credit. Chukwudi & Ojo (2023) also pointed out that these societies have been closely embedded in the community development processes in the southern part of Nigeria via the mobilization of collective resources. Asante (2022) stated that cooperative systems in the same area tended to mirror the socio-cultural context and thus increased member trust and engagement. In the Udu Local Government Area, the cooperative schemes have increasingly become a reflection of the economic realities of the retired civil servants in search of sustainable livelihoods. This is a good situational context through which to look at cooperative societies as a veritable vehicle for self-reliance in retirement.

1.2 Statement of  the Problem

The contribution of cooperative-based structures to collective welfare and the economic participation of various population groups has continued to draw attention to the role of cooperative-based arrangements in socio-economic development. These systems have served as formal frameworks for facilitating pooling of resources, mutual assistance and financial inclusion both in formal and informal sectors. Foláyan et al (2025) noted that cooperative structures had helped build community resilience, and had been contributing and engaging in cooperative financial arrangements. Such societies improve savings and credit opportunities of their members leading to better economic participation as observed by Abimbola et al (2022). According to Sule et al (2021), cooperatives had been instruments in inclusive development, while Ebimgbo et al (2021) affirmed that cooperatives had been playing the role of financial inclusion in targeting the underserved groups. Kayode et al (2021) also noted that cooperative systems had complemented the formal financial systems in improving economic reach. In this context, retirement transition is more and more linked to the necessity of adaptive financial strategies to sustain livelihood stability and social integration.

Although there are cooperative societies that are supposed to come in handy in the economic empowerment of retired civil servants, a lot of retired civil servants are still facing challenges to achieve long-term self-reliance after their retirement. The ideal retirement situation would be to have stable income streams, efficient access to cooperative credit and regular participation in economic groups that could help them achieve long-term financial security. But, the benefits of cooperative participation were not the same in terms of retirement stability as evidenced by Kayode et al (2021) and Ebimgbo et al (2021). Ugwu et al (2024) further noted that cooperatives as a mechanism of financial support were available, but their ability to ensure continued livelihood for the retirees was not consistent. Differences in access and use of cooperative resources, as also pointed out by Abimbola et al (2022), had impacted on the anticipated economic outcomes. The disconnect between the roles that cooperatives are supposed to play and the experiences of retired civil servants shows that the issue of good self-reliance after retirement is always a challenge.

Moreover, there is little empirical work on the specific effect of cooperative societies on self-reliance among retired civil servants in localized setting like Udu Local Government Area, Delta State. Ijeoma & Nwadiuto (2025) and Foláyan et al (2025) showed that cooperative participation had grown throughout Delta State and general financial inclusion had also been enhanced, but they noted that there was limited attention paid to the cooperative that cater to the financial needs of the retirees as a special group of individuals. Further, Sule et al (2021) and Abimbola et al (2022) observed that most of the previous studies on cooperative effectiveness had focused on general memberships without segregating retirement-specific outcomes. Ugwu et al (2024) also highlighted the importance of the context in which cooperation takes place in influencing the performance and output of cooperative societies. This lack of targeted and location-specific evidence has left a gap in the knowledge which this study will fill by investigating how far the cooperative societies have been able to serve as a veritable instrument in promoting self-reliance among retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate co-operative societies as veritable tools in promoting self-reliance among retired civil servants: a case study of Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. The specific objectives of the study seek to:

1.Examine the role of cooperative societies in income generation among retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.

2.Determine the influence of cooperative societies on entrepreneurial development among retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.

3.Examine the role of cooperative societies in enhancing financial independence among retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.

4.Assess the contribution of cooperative societies to the economic well-being of retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.
Other parts of chapter one include:
1.4 Research Questions

1.5 Research Hypotheses

1.6 Significance of the Study

1.7 Scope of the Study

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE (Preview)
This chapter critically examines relevant literature that would assist in explaining the research problem and, furthermore, recognizes the efforts of scholars who had previously contributed immensely to similar research. The chapter intends to deepen the understanding of the study and close the perceived gaps. This chapter therefore focuses on the concept of co-operative societies, functions of co-operative societies

concept of self-reliance, concept of retirement, role of co-operative societies in income generation among retired civil servants, etc. the chapter covers the following subheadings:
Conceptual Review

Theoretical Framework

Empirical Review

Gaps in Literature Review

CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (Preview)
Research Design: The study adopted a descriptive research design.

Population of the Study: The population of the study comprises retired civil servants who are registered members of cooperative societies in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.

Sample Size Determination: The study adopted the Taro Yamane formula to determine a sample size of 205 participants.

Sampling Technique: The study employed a multi-stage sampling technique involving stratified sampling and convenience sampling to select the individual respondents.

Research Instrument: The study utilized a structured questionnaire titled “Co-operative Societies as Veritable Tools in Promoting Self-Reliance among Retired Civil Servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State” as the instrument for data collection.

Methods of Data Analysis: The collected data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations to summarize and present the demographic characteristics of the respondents and their responses. Inferential statistics, particularly Simple Linear Regression, were used to test the hypotheses.

CHAPTER FOUR; DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
MAJOR FINDINGS (Preview)
The analysis results were presented in tables and charts. Based on the results obtained from the analysis, the following findings are made:

i. The study found that cooperative societies have a significant positive role in income generation among retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, as evidenced by an R² value of 0.61, indicating that 61% of the variation in income generation is explained by cooperative societies. This was further confirmed by the result of the corresponding hypothesis test, which showed a regression coefficient (B) of 0.76, beta coefficient (β) of 0.78, t-value of 12.06, and p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. This implies that cooperative societies significantly promote income generation among retired civil servants in the study area.

ii. The study found that cooperative societies have a significant positive influence on entrepreneurial development among retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, as evidenced by an R² value of 0.66, indicating that 66% of the variation in entrepreneurial development is explained by cooperative societies. This was further confirmed by the result of the corresponding hypothesis test, which showed a regression coefficient (B) of 0.80, beta coefficient (β) of 0.81, t-value of 12.75, and p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. This implies that cooperative societies significantly promote entrepreneurial development among retired civil servants in the study area.

iii. The study found that cooperative societies have a significant positive role in enhancing financial independence among retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, as evidenced by an R² value of 0.62, indicating that 62% of the variation in financial independence is explained by cooperative societies. This was further confirmed by the result of the corresponding hypothesis test, which showed a regression coefficient (B) of 0.77, beta coefficient (β) of 0.79, t-value of 12.19, and p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. This implies that cooperative societies significantly enhance financial independence among retired civil servants in the study area.

iv. The study found that cooperative societies make a significant positive contribution to the economic well-being of retired civil servants in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, as evidenced by an R² value of 0.67, indicating that 67% of the variation in economic well-being is explained by cooperative societies. This was further confirmed by the result of the corresponding hypothesis test, which showed a regression coefficient (B) of 0.83, beta coefficient (β) of 0.82, t-value of 12.98, and p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. This implies that cooperative societies significantly improve the economic well-being of retired civil servants in the study area.

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter covers the following outline:
5.1 Summary of Findings

5.2 Conclusion

5.3 Recommendations

5.5 Suggestions for Further Studies

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