Parliament approves new holiday bill
Parliament has approved the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, 2025, introducing key changes to Ghana’s holiday calendar.
The newly passed legislation restores July 1 as Republic Day, formally recognizing the country’s transition to a republic in 1960.
It also introduces a new public holiday for the Muslim community, known as Shaqq Day, to be observed a day after Eid-ul-Fitr. The day is intended to allow extended reflection and celebration after the Islamic festival.
In another significant change, the bill repeals August 4 as Founders’ Day and reinstates September 21 as Founder’s Day, in honour of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President and a leading figure in the country’s independence movement.
Additionally, the bill empowers the President to shift public holidays that fall on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays to either the preceding Friday or following Monday, to improve national productivity and scheduling flexibility.
Declaring the bill passed, First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor announced:
“Honourable members, the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Amendment Bill 2025 is duly read the third time and passed.”
The amended holiday framework is expected to spark fresh public discourse on national identity, religious inclusivity, and the politics of remembrance.
