On October 26, 1948, the Coussey Committee was formed

The Coussey Committee was set up on 26 October 1948 immediately after the 1948 riot. During the 1948 riot, angry veterans who returned from the World War II were not happy with the Colonial government due to their inability to fulfill their promises they said before they went for the Second World War. These angry veterans demands were not addressed whiles others were shot to death namely Sergeant Adjetey, Private Odartey  and Corporal Attipoe .

After the shooting incident at Christianborg castle, Gold Coast did not remain the same. Causes of the 1948 riot includes; cutting down of cocoa trees, inflation, shortage in consumer goods and the killing of the three ex service men.

Sir Gerald Creasy ordered the police to arrest the executive members of the UGCC because he believes that they are the reasons behind the 1948 riot.

They were released after the investigation has been done, these people became a household name known as “The Big Six.”

After the riot the educated elite sent a petition to the secretary of the state in London, Secretary Arthur Chreech Jones but he did not accept it and blamed the leaders that they are the cause of the riot.

Watson Commission was set up to investigate the causes of the riot.The commission was chaired by A.A. Watson who was charged by the Governor Gerald Creasy.The commission recommended that there was a need to establish an Executive Council which should include at least five African ministers and others to be represented by the Colonial Administration as Watson commission report.

On October 26, 1948, Coussey Committee was formed to study the recommendations of the Watson Commission and comes out with proposal for constitutional reforms.

Mr. Henley Coussey, a popular Gold Coast judge was the chairman of the committee.

The membership of the committee was mainly comprised of Gold Coasters including representatives from the Asanteman council and the Northern Territories. The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) members were served on the committee except Dr Kwame Nkrumah who was not invited by the committee due difference in ideologies.

The commitee recommended that the Constitution of the executive Council as a fully fledged ministerial body totally responsible to the legislative not to the government and also recommended that the nature authority should be replaced with elected Council of the English model.

In conclusion, the report by the committee formed the basis for drawing of the 1951 constitution which pave the way for the beginning of the Gold Coast independence.