President John Dramani Mahama has, by Executive Instrument, moved the observance of Ghana’s Republic Day holiday from Tuesday, July 1, 2025, to Friday, July 4, 2025, in a decision aimed at improving national productivity and minimising disruptions to the workweek.
This action, announced by the Ministry of the Interior and signed by Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, follows the recent passage of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, 2025, a landmark piece of legislation that reshapes Ghana’s holiday calendar and gives the President the legal authority to reschedule certain holidays that fall midweek.
“Friday, July 4, 2025, has been declared a public holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country,” the official statement said, noting the declaration was made under Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, 2021 (Act 601).
Republic day restored, holiday calendar overhauled
The date shift comes on the heels of sweeping holiday reforms passed by Parliament earlier this week. The Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, 2025, restores Republic Day (July 1) as a public holiday, reinstating its significance as the date Ghana officially became a republic in 1960.
The amended legislation also repeals August 4 as Founders’ Day and reinstates September 21 as Founder’s Day to honour Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President and the most prominent figure in the country’s independence struggle.
In addition, the bill introduces a new holiday for the Muslim community, Shaqq Day, to be observed the day after Eid-ul-Fitr, offering Muslims an extended period of reflection and celebration.
Presidential power to reschedule holidays
Among the most notable innovations in the new law is the clause empowering the President to reschedule public holidays that fall on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, either to the preceding Friday or the following Monday.
This mechanism is designed to limit midweek disruptions to government operations, commerce, and productivity — a move supporters say brings Ghana’s public holiday schedule in line with international best practices.
The shift of Republic Day’s observance to Friday, July 4, marks the first exercise of this new presidential authority under the revised law.
Public reaction and political debate
While the move has been largely welcomed by business groups and some civil society organisations as a practical step toward reducing lost working hours, others have raised concerns that it may erode the historic symbolism of specific dates.
Critics also argue that repeated shifts could dilute the meaning of national commemorations and confuse the public.
However, proponents of the reform maintain that aligning holidays with long weekends will not only improve worker morale but also create opportunities for domestic tourism, family time, and economic stimulation through hospitality and recreation sectors.
A new chapter in holiday policy
The comprehensive reform to Ghana’s public holiday framework is the most significant since the Fourth Republic was inaugurated in 1993.
With its blend of historical redress, religious inclusivity, and economic pragmatism, the new law marks a philosophical shift in how Ghana balances commemoration with national development priorities.
As President Mahama’s government implements this first date shift under the law, all eyes will be on how Ghanaians respond — and how the reimagined calendar shapes national life in the years to come.
