Nigerian Traders In Ghana Storm ECOWAS Over Alleged Closure Of Businesses

The National Association of Nigerian Traders earlier today, stormed the ECOWAS secretariat located in Abuja to protest the alleged closure of shops belonging to Nigerians in Ghana.

Video of ongoing protest by Nigerian traders in Ghana against harassment by Ghanaian authorities at the ECOWAS HQ Abuja.@ifntelevision pic.twitter.com/zBZ4nEXWOO

— Ndume Green (@NdumeGreen) September 24, 2018

Naija News Understands that the protest which began at 9:30am partially paralysed activities at the ECOWAS Secretariat. The protesters marched through the streets of Yakubu Gowon way in Asokoro, a development that led to traffic gridlock along the Asokoro axis.

NANTS members and Nigerian traders in Ghana advocates against the xenophobic attacks by Ghana authorities on Nigerian Traders at ECOWAS commission @GhanaFoN @ECOWASParliamnt @ecowas_cedeao pic.twitter.com/Z1HyZhWgNL

— nantsng (@nantsng_) September 24, 2018

The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions such as “We need ECOWAS intervention,” “Ghana re-open Nigeria’s shops now,” “ECOWAS, the situation in Ghana is totally unacceptable,” “Ghana wants AFCTA secretariat but clamps on African traders,” among others.

Speaking during the protest, the President of the Association, Barrister Ken Ukaoha, said the association is protesting the alleged victimisation of Nigerian businessmen in Ghana.

He said that the development had gotten so bad that a law was recently passed by the Ghanaian parliament, seeking to make the business environment hostile to foreign investors.

He called on the Federal Government to caution its Ghanaian counterpart, by ensuring that there is free movement of goods and services.

According to him, the association is giving the commission a one-week ultimatum to intervene in the matter, adding that “if nothing was done, the association would deploy all its members to occupy the premises of ECOWAS”.

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