Kufuor lays wreath to remember war heroes

A solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Christianborg War Cemetery in Accra to mark this year's national Remembrance Day for Ghanaian soldiers killed in wars and peacekeeping operations across the world.

In all, there were five wreaths, the first of which was laid by President John Agyekum Kufuor on behalf of nation.

Mr. Nicholas Wescott, British High Commissioner, Lieutenant General Joseph Boateng Danquah, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice-Marshall Nii Odartey Bannor (Retired), Chairman of the Veterans Association of Ghana and Nii Odartey III, Gbese Mantse, laid the rest.

Among those present were the Minister of Defence, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Interior Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Members of Parliament, the Inspector-General of Police and Service Commanders.

The ceremony began with an opening prayer by the officiating clergy, Colonel D.K. Adotey-Asare and Major S.S. Adam.

Then came the call to remembrance amidst the sounding of the knell and the farewell call.

As the clock struck exactly 1100 hours, the siren wailed.

This was followed by the sounding of the last post and two minutes silence in honour of the dead, the highest point of the ceremony.

With this over, Warrant Officer Class One A. O. Kwami (Rtd) of the VAG, read the Binyon Verses taken from Lawrence Binyon's poem, “The Fallen”, which had become synonymous with the commemoration of the war dead.

President Kufuor later signed the Remembrance Book at the Memorial Ark.