The leadership of the Union of Tippers and Quarry Employers of Nigeria in Kwara State rose from an emergency meeting in Ilorin yesterday with a pledge to partner the state government in its revenue drive to mitigate the effect of the economic crisis. It also expressed readiness to collaborate with the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service to improve the revenue profile of the state.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the state chairman of the union, Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf Mogaji. It said the union, as a stakeholder in the transportation of solid minerals from their sources to processing and finished sites, would not shirk in its obligations.

The union also assured the government of its willingness to key into policies on economic diversification. The communique partly reads, "The union appreciates the level of the state government support and patronage evident in the high powered delegation that represented the state governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed, at the inauguration of the state branch of the union.

"The union is ready and willing to cooperate with the newly established Kwara State Internal Revenue Service and the Ministry of Industry and Solid Minerals Development to improve the revenue base of government. "Members of the union statewide would continue to be supportive of all.