Ghana’s Parliament has passed amendments to the Holidays Act, officially restoring Founder’s Day to its original date of September 21. The revision also includes provisions to reclaim lost productivity by reducing the number of mid-week public holidays that disrupt the work calendar. Lawmakers say the move balances national commemoration with economic efficiency, while reaffirming the legacy of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Ghana’s independence movement..
The new legislation reinstates September 21, the birthday of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as Founder’s Day, effectively replacing the previously designated Founders’ Day observed on August 4. The change marks a return to the original date celebrated before the 2019 amendments and restores focus on Nkrumah’s central role in Ghana’s independence struggle.
In addition to this revision, July 1, formerly marked as Republic Day but removed from the statutory calendar in 2019, has been restored as a public holiday under the amended Act.
The bill also introduces Shaqq Day, a new public holiday that will be observed a day after Eid-ul-Fitr, providing an additional rest day for the Muslim community in recognition of the religious festivities.
A key motivation for the amendments, according to parliamentary discussions, is the government‘s intention to restructure the holiday calendar to reduce disruptions to the working week. By prioritizing holidays that can align with weekends or existing breaks, lawmakers aim to maximize national productivity while preserving the country’s cultural and religious observances.
The updated list of statutory holidays now includes:
- January 1 – New Year’s Day
- January 7 – Constitution Day
- March 6 – Independence Day
- Good Friday and Easter Monday – March/April (movable)
- May 1 – Labour Day
- Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha – (movable)
- Shaqq Day – The day after Eid-ul-Fitr
- July 1 – Republic Day
- September 21 – Founder’s Day
- First Friday in December – Farmers‘ Day
- December 25 – Christmas Day
- December 26 – Boxing Day
The passage of the amendment marks another step in Ghana’s evolving national identity narrative, as well as a pragmatic shift toward balancing cultural commemoration with economic efficiency.
Last Updated on June 27, 2025 by Senel Media
