LAST Tuesday, February 28, marked the 69th anniversary of the infamous February 28, Crossroad shooting incident of 1948 in the then Gold Coast and which led to the death of three soldiers. It is a day that brings back solemn memories of how the lives of the three brave ex-servicemen were shortened in cold blood.
THESE three Ghanaian ex-servicemen who were gunned down by the then colonial police were Corporal Patrick Attipoe, Sergeant Cornelius Francis Adjetey and Private Odartey Lamptey. The three were part of a number of ex-servicemen, who had embarked upon a peaceful protest to the Christianborg Castle, Osu, Accra—the seat of government at the time—to present a petition to Governor Sir Gerald Hallen Creasy, who governed Gold Cost from January 12, 1948 – February 15, 1949.
THESE were soldiers who had participated in World War II by fighting alongside the allied forces. And for their bravery certain promises were made to them. Unfortunately, and exactly what necessitated the protest march, was the fact that those promises were not fulfilled.
IT is significant to point out that the February 28 shooting incident also brought in its wake a lot of protests which saw the breakdown of law and order, especially in Accra. It no doubt contributed to agitations and the call for the end of colonial rule and self-governance, an agitation which eventually led to the attainment of independence on March 6, 1957.
AND ever since that incident, the day has always been commemorated on every 28th February where a sitting president remembers the three gallant heroes with a simple but moving wreath-laying ceremony at the spot where they are said to have fallen dead after the shooting incident.
AS the saying goes, a nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for. That is why Today is excited that 69 years on, such a day is still commemorated at the highest level and appreciated by all Ghanaians.
IT is refreshing to hear that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked the ministry of defence to release GHC200,000 towards the wellbeing of the Veteran Association of Ghana (VAG). The president, we understand, gave that directive on the grounds that the veterans had served mother Ghana well and even at the peril of their lives, which obviously is one brave sacrifice for a person to make.
THE death of the gallant soldiers no doubt devastated the country at the time for their only crime was because they protested against something that was due them and which was not forthcoming. It is therefore heart-warming that as a nation we still come together year after year to continue to remember the many sacrifices and the heroic actions of our soldiers that day.
TODAY, therefore, seizes this opportunity to thank families of the members of the VAG for sharing with us their brave sons and daughters. We will always remember and honour their legacies.
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