Accra: Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has led a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at Ghana's Nationalism Park, in Accra, in honour of the three ex-servicemen killed in the 'February 28 Crossroads Shooting Incident' that led to the country's eventual independence. Sergeant Major Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe, and Private Odartey Lamptey, the three martyrs, were members of the Gold Coast (now Ghana) Regiment enlisted in the British Army during World War II.
According to Ghana News Agency, having seen combat in campaigns in East Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, these veterans were primarily ignored by the colonial administration upon their return, as promised pensions and benefits were either insufficient or unpaid. This led to a protest march by the three veterans on February 28, 1948. However, police on guard at the Christiansborg Castle, the seat of the colonial administration, opened fire on the peaceful protesters, killing the three.
Vice President Prof. Opoku-Agyemang laid a wreath on behalf of the Government and People of Ghana as the West African nation marked the 78th Anniversary of the Shooting Incident. Wreaths were also laid by representatives of the security services, traditional rulers, relatives of the departed souls, and Veterans Association, Ghana.
Other activities included a flag raising ceremony, observing a minute silence, as well as a reveille, symbolising the dedication and bravery of the soldiers. A contingent of 50 officers and 143 personnel, drawn from the Ghana Armed Forces and Ghana Police Service, mounted a parade under the command of Wing Commander Christian Mensah in honour of the veterans.
Some seven decades after the tragic incident, Ghana continues to eulogise the three ex-servicemen. The ramifications of their bravery led to the setting up of the Watson Commission, whose findings highlighted the grievances of the Ghanaian people and the inadequacies of colonial governance. The Commission recommended substantial reforms, paving the way for drafting a new constitution and granting independence to Ghana in 1957, the first in sub-Saharan Africa.