Credit Union President Vows to Stand Against Manipulation of by-laws for Selfish interests



Anye Bih Judith, President of AziCCUL

 The Board chair lady of the Azire Cooperative Credit Union has declared that the continuous violation of the credit union laws has become a currency within the movement. Anye Bih Judith Tabifor made the statement today March 17 while addressing the 43rd General Assembly of the Azire Cooperative Credit Union in Bamenda. She frowned at what she described as continous violation of the foundamental laws of the credit union which has made some of them holding illegal positions. She also accused the press of dissiminating false information on the CamCCUL/Credit Union crisis. According to Anye Bih Judith, being at the helm of the credit union is not a professional job, it is volontary and it becomes very suspicious when people manipulate by-laws to sit-tight. "The bylaws were manipulated in 2008 and that change make some of us illegal Presidents at the head of credit unions". She also emphasized that the mandate of five years is not recognized by law, a statement which was later confrmed by the Registrar of cooperatives and common initiative groups. She lamented it was when she was voted into the board of CamCCUL that she understood the intrigues involved. But revamped hope in members when she exploded that " I said i was a President of Change" and that she would make sure the bylaws are respected. On the change of mandate from five years renewable once to three years renewable twice, Anye Bih Judith remarked that OHADA allows each movement to decide on the term of the president. To Anye Bih Judith, it is unfair for some people to think that they are the only people that would be at the helm. "i stood my grounds because we are largest in the country and we need to protect our members. That is the change i stand for". She added that Union Bank of Cameroon was created due to the failure of commercial banks to protect the finances of the poor.She told members that Azire had to contribute much money for the creation of UBC, it was because they have suffered. "We are still negotiating to get 390.3 million FCFA we saved in the defunct Credit Agricole" she added. But also lamented that even though Azire Credit Union is the second highest shareholder in UBC, it is not a member of the board and more so, the shares of 484 million fcfa with the bank are still to yeild dividends. She also revealed that in 2011, 2,433 new members were registered as against 2,448 in 2010. Active membership she said stands at 29,758 as against 27,860 in 2010.  She however concluded that the mission for 2012 is to review loan policy, bylaws and other policies to comply with OHADA uniform act on cooperatives to make Azire credit union to remain the best of the best. To increase membership to 35.000 and mobilize savings of 17 billion FCFA remains one of her challenge to ensure growth of loan portfolio to 13.5 billion FCFA in order to generate an income of 2.4 billion fcfa to improve on interest on sharesaings.
On his part the Manager of Azire Credit Union said members shares increased from 1,181.9 million fcfa from 2010 to 1,695.5 million in 2011 while savings moved from 12.817.4 million fcfa in 2010 to 13.351.6 million fcfa in 2011. On loan consumption, outstanding loans with members increased from 1,999.3 million fcfa from 2010 to 2,064.3 milion fcfa in 2011.


Anye Bih



GM of Azire Credit UNION