The Ministry of the Interior has announced that Friday, July 4, 2025, will be a public holiday. This information was provided in a press release issued on June 26. The general public is informed that Tuesday, July 1, 2025, is Republic Day. However, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana has declared Friday, July 4, 2025, as a public holiday through an Executive Instrument (E.I.), in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, 2021 (Act 601).
The press release signed by the Minister, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, directed that the day “should be observed as such throughout the country.” On June 25, Parliament passed the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to make changes in the country’s statutory public holidays. According to the report by the Defence and Interior Committee, the amendment is justified by the need to “reform the holiday framework in a manner that is inclusive, historically accurate, and promotes productivity,” among others.
As part of the new law, July 1 will now be designated as a public holiday, known as Republic Day. Additionally, the government has removed August 4 from the holiday schedule and renamed Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day to Founder’s Day, which will now be celebrated on September 21. In an effort to fulfill their campaign promise, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has also introduced an extra holiday for Muslims, called “Shaqq Day.”
This holiday will be celebrated a day after the Eid ul-Fitr.
What more?
The law states that where a public holiday is to be observed on a Tuesday, a Wednesday or a 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.”
This, according to the Minister for Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, will help to ensure productivity across the country. Members of Parliament took turns to debate the relevance of the amendments and the inclusion of an extra holiday for Muslims.
The debate was not without who qualifies to be a founder.
Both sides were split on whether it is appropriate for Founder’s Day to be recognised on the birthday of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president.
