July 1 now a holiday and September 21 is Founder’s Day; Muslims get new holiday

Parliament has passed the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introducing sweeping changes to Ghana’s official holiday calendar and sparking intense debate over historical recognition and religious inclusion.

The passage of the bill follows a report by the Defence and Interior Committee, which argued that the amendment was necessary to “reform the holiday framework in a manner that is inclusive, historically accurate, promotes productivity,” among other goals.

Under the new law, July 1 is officially restored as Republic Day and will now be observed as a statutory public holiday.

In a significant revision, August 4 has been removed from the list of public holidays. Meanwhile, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day has been renamed as Founder’s Day and will be observed on September 21, the birthday of Ghana’s first President.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), staying true to a campaign promise, has introduced a new holiday for Muslims, known as "Shaqq Day."

This new observance will take place a day after Eid ul-Fitr.

To further boost productivity, the law also allows flexibility in the observation of mid-week holidays. It states that if a public holiday falls on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, “the President may, by Executive Instrument, declare the public holiday to be observed on the Friday immediately after the Tuesday, or Wednesday or Thursday.”

According to Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak, this provision is intended to minimise mid-week disruptions to business and national productivity.

Debate on the floor of Parliament was vigorous, with members offering contrasting views on the historical and political implications of the changes. A major flashpoint was the decision to fix Founder’s Day on Nkrumah’s birthday—a move that reignited long-standing disagreements over whether Ghana's independence was achieved through the efforts of a single individual or multiple key figures.

While the new law has now taken effect, the discussion over who deserves the title of "founder" continues to divide opinion on both sides of the House.