The National Association of Nigerian Traders on Monday stormed the Economic Community of West African States’ secretariat located in Abuja to protest the alleged closure of shops belonging to Nigerians in Ghana.

The protest, which began at about 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 in the area.

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’, and ‘Ghana wants AfCTA secretariat but clamps down on African traders’, among others.

Speaking during the protest, the President, NANT, Ken Ukaoha, said that the association was protesting the alleged victimisation of Nigerian businessmen in Ghana.

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

Ukaoha said since Ghana was a signatory to the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of goods and services, there was a need for the commission to caution the government of Ghana.