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Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on Friday laid a wreath on behalf of the Government and People of Ghana, in commemoration of the Christiansborg Cross Road Shooting incident, which occurred on 28th February 1948.
On 28th February, 1948, veterans of world war two, who had fought with the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force, organised a peaceful demonstration marching to Christiansborg Castle, Osu, Accra, Gold Coast (Ghana), to hand in a petition to the Colonial Governor, demanding that they receive end of war benefits and pay which they had been promised.
Before reaching the Castle, the veterans were ordered to disperse by the colonial police chief. When they refused, he opened fire on them instantly killing three – Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey.
The death of three veterans led to outbreak of violence across the country and a strong agitation for independence, which served as a catalyst for Ghana’s independence on 6th March 1957. Other wreaths were laid by General Thomas Oppong Preprah, the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on behalf of the security forces.
Major General C.B. Yaache (Rtd), the Immediate Board Chair of the Veterans Association of Ghana laid the third wreath on behalf of veterans. Nii Kobina Bonny V, Osu Alata Mantse laid the fourth wreath on behalf of traditional rulers, while Mr Michael Attipoe, a representative of the families of the three fallen heroes, laid the fifth wreath.
Independence at the event were Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, the Defence Minister and Alhaji Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, the Minister for the Interior.
Source: GNA
