Gov’t Commemorates 28th February Shooting Incident

The Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Thursday, 28th February, 2019, joined the Veterans Association of Ghana(VAG) and other Ghanaians to commemorate the 71st  anniversary of the 28th February Christianborg Crossroads shooting incident at the Nationalism Park at Osu in Accra.

Five wreaths were laid in memory of the dead veterans. The Vice President, who was the reviewing officer, laid a wreath on behalf of the  Government and people of Ghana.

On February 28, 1948, Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey, all members of the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force, that fought alongside the allied forces during the Second World War, were killed while the Regiment was going to present a petition to the then British Colonial Governor, Sir Gerald Creasy.

The ex-servicemen were going to present a petition to the Governor on their unpaid war benefits when they were intercepted at the crossroads by a contingent of armed policemen.

News about the death of the ex-servicemen rapidly spread, leading to mass protests. It encouraged anti-colonial movements to press the British government to institute a committee to investigate the killings and general disorder.

The Committee recommended self-government for the Gold Coast, which subsequently led to the attainment of political independence for the country on 6 March 1957.

The nation Ghana has since celebrated these heroes for the ultimate sacrifice they made which led to the attainment of independence.