Parliament has passed a new law allowing midweek public holidays to be moved to Mondays or Fridays, in a sweeping overhaul of the national holiday calendar.
The Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aims to boost productivity and improve planning by reducing disruptions caused by midweek breaks.
In a significant historical shift, the bill also restores September 21 as Founder’s Day, honouring Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President and a central figure in the country’s independence struggle.
This change repeals the controversial August 4 Founders’ Day, introduced in recent years to commemorate a broader group of independence-era leaders.
Parliament further approved the reintroduction of Republic Day on July 1, marking Ghana’s transition to a republic in 1960, a key milestone in the country’s post-independence history.
In a gesture towards greater religious inclusivity, lawmakers have also created a new public holiday known as Shaqq Day, to be observed a day after Eid-ul-Fitr.
The day will give Ghana’s Muslim community space for continued celebration and reflection following the end of Ramadan.
The law grants the President the authority to shift any public holiday that falls on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday to the preceding Friday or the following Monday.
Proponents say the change will minimize disruptions to the workweek and offer Ghanaians more predictable long weekends.