Parliament Considers Shifting Midweek Holidays to Mondays or Fridays — See the Full List of Changes
Amendment would allow the President to reschedule Tuesday–Thursday holidays to nearby Mondays or Fridays
- Midweek public holidays may be moved to Mondays or Fridays
- July 1 could return as a holiday; September 21 may replace August 4
- Religious holidays will remain on their original dates
Parliament is reviewing proposed changes under the Public Holidays (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 986), aiming to adjust how certain holidays are observed in Ghana.
One major proposal seeks to reinstate July 1st as a public holiday, while removing August 4th as Founder’s Day. Instead, the amendment would restore September 21st—Kwame Nkrumah’s birthday—as Founders’ Day.
Another key change would grant the President the authority to move public holidays that fall on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays to either the preceding Friday or the following Monday, potentially creating more long weekends. However, religious holidays such as Eid Ul Fitr, Eid Ul Adha, and Christmas would remain fixed to their original calendar dates.
The Interior Committee has urged swift passage of the bill, labeling it a priority.
