By Monsuru Olowoopejo

LAGOS—THE shutdown of  the headquarters of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja DISCO, by protesting electricity workers has continued as efforts to get amicable resolution deadlocked yesterday.

This came as management of the distribution company is seeking for another date to meet representatives of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, leading to the siege on Ikeja Electricity, IE, crippling business and other activities at the headquarters since last Wednesday.

It was gathered that the  Nigerian Police, led by Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Alausa Police Station, Kyse Bakfur, had waded in and volunteered to broker peace between the parties.

As part of peace strategy,  Vanguard  gathered that the DPO met with the management of IE behind closed doors, seeking a meeting for the protesting workers to end the siege.

But it was discovered that that the management had written to the leaders of NUEE seeking a fresh date and venue to discuss the union’s grievances.

Confirming receipt of the letter, General Secretary of NUEE, Mr. Joe Ajaero,   described the letter as empty, saying, efforts to meet on the issues before now had hit a deadlock, prompting the ongoing picketing.

He said: “Due to this, our picketing of Ikeja Electricity continues tomorrow (today). Because the interface done by the Nigerian Police to ensure we start a meeting over the issues raised could not yield the required result. I think the Nigerian Police persuaded the Managing Director that even if he cannot meet us, he should write us. I guess that was the reason for the letter we received from the management.

“But we were surprised that in the letter, they did not include the date and there was no venue indicated in it. We will reply their letter. Maybe after our reply, venue and date will be set. They wrote a letter that is empty asking for a meeting.”

Earlier,  Secretary General of Nigerian Union of Railway Workers, NUR, Mr. Segun Esan, claimed no fewer than 700 workers had been retrenched by Ikeja DISCO for   unknown reasons.