Parliament has passed the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, 2025, resulting in notable changes to Ghana’s public holiday calendar.
The bill, laid before the House by Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, was passed on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
Among the key changes, the bill reinstates July 1 as a public holiday and reverts the observance of Founder’s Day to September 21.
Addressing the House, the Asawase MP stated that the bill also includes provisions to shift all midweek holidays—those falling on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays—to the nearest Friday.
He explained that the move is intended to boost productivity and allow citizens to enjoy extended weekends.
“Mr. Speaker, we are keeping 1st January as New Year’s Day, 7th January as Constitution Day, 6th March as Independence Day, March or April for Good Friday and Easter Monday for our Christian brothers, 1st May as Labour Day, and 1st July as Republic Day.
“It was pushed to commemorate it. We believe that this is a very significant day in the life of Ghana that we should not just relegate to the background, and therefore we are bringing it back as a full holiday. We believe that as a country, we are united around the 1st of July,” Mr. Mubarak explained.
However, the Minority strongly opposed the decision to fast-track the bill under a certificate of urgency.
They argued that the Mahama-led government is sidestepping more pressing national matters that deserve immediate parliamentary attention.
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