In a statement issued by the Ministry of the Interior, it was explained that although Constitution Day falls on Wednesday, January 7, President John Dramani Mahama has, by Executive Instrument, shifted the observance to Friday to allow for broader national participation.

The decision was taken in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, 2001 (Act 601), as amended.

The statement, dated January 2, 2026, and signed by the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak (MP), urged the general public to take note of the change and observe the holiday as announced.

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A statement signed by the Minister, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, explained that this year’s celebration, which falls on Sunday, September 21, has been shifted to Monday in accordance with the law.

The statement added that President John Dramani Mahama, acting under Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act (Act 601), as amended, has signed an Executive Instrument formalising the additional holiday.

Founder’s Day is set aside to remember and honour Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Ghanaians have been encouraged to observe the day in honour of the country’s founding fathers.

Source: Adomonline

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In a statement signed by the Minister for the Interior, Henry Quartey, the public was reminded that the day is to be observed nationwide in accordance with Ghana’s statutory holiday calendar.

Constitution Day is celebrated annually to honor the adoption of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which restored the country to democratic rule.

The day serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding democratic principles and the rule of law.

Citizens are encouraged to reflect on the significance of the day and its role in shaping the nation’s democratic progress.

These holidays provide an opportunity for citizens to reflect on the nation’s history, celebrate cultural milestones and honor key events.

Statutory Public Holidays for 2025:

1. New Year’s Day – Wednesday, January 1
2. Constitution Day – Tuesday, January 7
3. Independence Day – Thursday, March 6
4. Good Friday – Friday, April 18
5. Easter Monday – Monday, April 21
6. May Day (Workers’ Day) – Thursday, May 1
7. Founders’ Day – Monday, August 4
8. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day – Sunday, September 21
9. Farmers’ Day – Friday, December 5
10. Christmas Day – Thursday, December 25
11. Boxing Day – Friday, December 26

The dates for Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha, which are movable feasts, will be announced later in the year by the Office of the Chief Imam.

Founders’ Day is a statutory public holiday celebrated annually on 4th August to honour the founders of the nation.

This year’s date falls on a Sunday, for which President Akufo-Addo, by Executive Instrument (E.I) and in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act (Act 601), has declared the following Monday as a public holiday.

This decision allows all citizens the opportunity to commemorate Founders’ Day appropriately.

Ghanaians are encouraged to take part in the celebrations and reflect on the contributions of the nation’s founders.

Founders’ Day is a significant day in Ghana, commemorating the contributions of the nation’s founders and celebrating the country’s rich history and heritage.

This is in recognition of Eid-Ul-Adha, which falls on Sunday, June 16, 2024.

According to a statement released by the Minister for the Interior, Henry Quartey, this decision was made in accordance with the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act (Act 601).

Eid-Ul-Adha, a significant Islamic festival, is recognized as a statutory public holiday in Ghana.

Since this year’s celebration coincides with a Sunday, the government, by an Executive Instrument (E.I), has designated the following Monday as an additional public holiday.

This adjustment ensures that citizens have the opportunity to observe the holiday.

The Minister emphasized that Monday, June 17, should be observed as a holiday across the country, allowing Ghanaians to participate in the festivities and engage in cultural and religious activities associated with Eid-Ul-Adha.

This follows the Independence Day celebration held on Wednesday day which students across the country participated in.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the GES.

Thousands of schools in the country and people from all walks of life on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, thronged Koforidua in the Eastern Region to celebrate Ghana’s 67th Independence Day Anniversary.

Various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies also celebrated the event at the local level giving students the opportunity to take part in the parade.

GES further explained, “This is to enable them have some rest after preparing vigorously for the Independence Day anniversary Parade”.

Schools, according to the GES, will fully resume on Friday, March 8, 2024.

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Below is the full statement from GES:

The declaration is contained in a press release issued by the minister and copied to adomonline.com on Wednesday, April 26.

“The general public is hereby informed that Monday, 1st May 2023 which marks May Day (Workers Day) is a Statutory Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country,” the release said.

This is to enable the Muslim community mark this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr which falls on Saturday, April 22.

In view of the fact that the holiday falls on a weekend, President Akufo-Addo has, by Executive Instrument (El), in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, (Act 601) declared Monday, April 24 as an additional Public Holiday.

In a statement dated April 18 and signed by the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, it urged that the holiday should be observed as such throughout the country.

The Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations comes after a 30-day Ramadan fasting which started on March 23, 2023.

Below is the statement

This was contained in a statement by the sector Minister, Ambrose Dery, to mark the celebration of Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

The day is set aside to remember and honour Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

“The general public is hereby informed that Wednesday, September 21, which marks Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, is a Statutory Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country,” a statement on the Ministry’s website said.

And the first they knew of his decision to go to war was when he failed to pick them up from the airport when they returned home.

The 35-year-old, from Biggar, South Lanarkshire, is now embedded with a platoon of 50 men from all over the world, defending the streets of Kyiv.

His father Brian told BBC Scotland it was a shock to find out what he had done.

“It’s a hard thing to say because my wife and I were on holiday. We have a daughter who lives in Thailand and we were there for three months. Adam was due to pick us up at the airport.

“But his friend picked us up instead. His friend wasn’t going to say anything until Adam spoke to us.

“So we weren’t aware until he phoned us that evening. He was already in Ukraine at a camp.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned it would be counter-productive for anyone other than trained military personnel to go to the warzone.

And UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace later stressed that Britons should not put themselves in harm’s way, saying there were “better ways to contribute to the security of Ukraine”.

The Foreign Office website advises against travel to the area, and says: “If you travel to eastern Ukraine to fight, or to assist others engaged in the conflict, your activities may amount to offences against UK terrorism or other legislation and you could be prosecuted on your return to the UK.”

Adam has been putting himself in danger for the past two weeks to help Ukraine hold off the Russian invasion.

He has no military background, but his father Brian said he was not completely inexperienced.

“He is a fit boy and he has some rifle experience,” said Brian. “He’s a crack shot. There’s more to it. He knows how to handle weapons.

“The people who are with him have looked after him very well. They are all very experienced, and out of 200 people they picked 15 of them to be in this unit.

“He has plenty of international soldiers around him.”

Brian is worried sick about his son but he is also incredibly proud of him.

“As any parents, you never want to see a loved one in any danger, and it has caused us a lot of anxious nights.

“We are worried, but he has done it for the right reasons. He hasn’t done it for glory, he is not silly. He is a level-headed person and when he got there he said he had no regrets.”

‘Sprit and strength’

Adam has told his father he has seen “horrible things” but that the spirit, strength and gratitude of the Ukrainian people is humbling and makes him willing to overcome his fear.

Brian said: “The people are crying and hugging him when they learn where he has come from. He is in it for the long haul and said he couldn’t allow this evil regime to win in Ukraine because it will be Poland and other countries next. That was the last call we had from him.”

Local people in Biggar have started to fundraise to buy much-needed medical equipment for Ukraine. Adam wants people to get behind the campaign, set up by local woman, Polish immigrant Karolina Lukaska.

Karolina and her employers, the Crown Inn, have set up a crowdfunding page to buy bandages and dressings and bigger items like defibrillators.

The Ukraine government set up the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine (ILDU) on 27 February for foreign citizens who want to help the national military.

Officials at the country’s consulate in Edinburgh said their phones had been “ringing off the hook”.

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In a statement dated December 22 and signed by Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, the Ministry stated that President Akufo-Addo, by Executive Instrument (E.I) took the decision “in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, (Act 601).”

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The Ministry further explained that the days have been declared as such because December 25 and 26, which mark Christmas Day and Boxing Day respectively, fall on the weekend.

Members of the general public, have therefore, been advised to observe the aforementioned days as public holidays throughout the country.

A statement, signed by the sector Minister, Ambrose Dery, has urged the public to observe the day as such throughout the country.

This year’s celebration, which will be the 37th edition, has been themed Planting for food and jobs: Consolidating Ghana’s food systems.

The celebrations kickstarted on November 29 with an Agricultural Fair, Exhibition and Regional Focus Days.

Today, December 2 will be the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) Farmers’ Forum, with a climax of a Grand Durbar and Award Ceremony on Friday, December 3, 2021.

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The annual ceremony was constituted to recognise the contribution that farmers add towards national development, from proceeds of exports of agricultural commodities to the enormous provision of basic nutritional requirements and daily sustenance.

This was announced in a statement issued by the sector Minister, Ambrose Dery.

“The general public is hereby informed that Tuesday, 20th July 2021, which marks Eid-ul-Adha, is a statutory public holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country,” the statement read.

Eid-ul-Adha is an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim, also known as Abraham, to follow Allah’s (God’s) command to sacrifice his son.

Muslims across the world started this year’s month-long fasting on April 13, to mark the eighth month of the Islamic calendar.

The festival is commemorated by offering special prayers and slaughtering livestock, usually a goat, sheep, or a cow.

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has announced that this year’s national Eid-ul Adha prayers will be marked inside the new Mosque Complex at Kawkudi on the Kanda highway in strict adherence to the covid-19 safety protocols.

Read the full statement below:

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Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, Commissioner for Tourism in the state, and Special Adviser to the governor, disclosed this while giving an account of their stewardship in the last two years.

He stated that the bill on the proposed public holiday for traditional worshipers is currently before the state house of assembly, assuring that it will soon be passed by the lawmakers and signed into law.

The special adviser to the governor explained that a specific day will be earmarked for traditional worshippers as a public holiday or work-free day.

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“On that day, which may likely be in August, the government will organise activities to celebrate with them at a venue where all worshipers will gather. It is our culture; it is the first religion and religion of our forefathers before Christianity and Islam came into being. So, the day will give us an opportunity to display our tradition and culture,” he said.

He further noted that the bill will regulate activities of worshipers, masquerades among others, with a view to curb their excesses and turning it into a tourist attraction for visitors in the state.

This, according to a statement from the Ministry is to mark the 2021 Workers’ Day celebration, which is a Statutory Public Holiday, but falls on a weekend.

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“The general public is hereby notified that Saturday, May 1, 2021 marks Workers’ Day. However, May 1, 2021, falls on a Saturday and by Executive Instrument {E.I}, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, in accordance with section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, 2001 (601) has declared Monday, 3 May, 2021 as a Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country” the statement noted.

Read the statement below:

The list comprises 13 statutory public holidays and two commemorative days.

See the entire list below;

STATUTORY PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

New Year’s Day – 1 January – Wednesday

Constitution Day – 7th January – Tuesday

Independence Day – 6 March – Friday

Good Friday – 10 April – Friday

Easter Monday – 13 April – Monday

May Day (Workers’ Day) – 1st May – Friday

Eid-Ul-Fitr*

Eid-Ul-Adha*

Founders’ Day – 4 August – Tuesday

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day – 21 September- Monday

Farmer’s Day – 4 December – Friday

Christmas Day – 25 December – Friday

Boxing Day – 26 December – Saturday

NB: * There are no fixed dates for the Eid-Ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha because they are movable feasts. The dates for their observation are provided by the Office of the Chief Imam in the course of the year.

Commemorative Days

25 May – Monday – African Union Day

Republic Day – 1 July – Wednesday

The day, according to the Ministry “has been declared a Public Holiday to mark “Constitution Day.”

A press statement signed by the Minister for Interior, Ambrose Dery called on Ghanaians to observe the day as a statutory public holiday throughout the country.

“The general is hereby informed that Tuesday, 7th January 2020 which marks Constitution Day, is a statutory public holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country,” the statement added.

Background

In December 2018, a bill was laid before Parliament to amend the Public Holiday Act 2001 to provide for three different holidays.

These new holidays were 7th of January which was observed as the Constitution Day earlier in 2019, 4th of August which was described as the Founders’ Day and 21st of September was marked as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

In 2017, President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, proposed that August 4 should be observed as Founders Day in memory of the successive generations of Ghanaians who contributed to the liberation of the country from colonial rule and September 21 set aside as a memorial day for Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President who was instrumental in the fight for the 6th March independence.

This bill was subsequently passed by Parliament and assented to by the President.

A statement signed by the Minister said “the general public is hereby reminded that Sunday, August 4, 2019, which marks Founders Day, is a statutory public holiday.

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“In view of the fact that 4th August falls on a Sunday, the President has declared Monday, August 5, 2019 as a public holiday to be observed as such throughout the country.”

Below is the full statement:

Source: Adomonline.com

A statement signed by Ambrose Dery, the Minister for Interior, says the day marks the birthday of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah which is often declared Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

The statement further asked all and sundry to observe the day as such throughout the country.

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember and honour Ghana’s first
President.

Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, was born on September 21, 1909 at Nkroful in the Western Region.

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He attended Achimota School and also trained as a teacher. He went to the United States in 1935 for advanced studies, receiving a B.A. from Lincoln University in 1939.

He also received an STB (Bachelor of Sacred Theology) in 1942, a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 1942 and a Master of Arts in Philosophy the following year.

Elected

While lecturing in Political Science at Lincoln, Dr Nkrumah was elected President of the African Students Organisation of America and Canada.

He continued his schooling in England, where he helped to organise the Fifth Pan-African Congress in 1945.

He then founded the West African National Secretariat to work for the decolonisation of Africa. Nkrumah also served as Vice-President of the West African Students’ Union (WASU).

During his lifetime, Nkrumah was awarded honorary doctorates by Lincoln University, Moscow State University, Cairo University, Jagielloniaan University in Krakow, Poland and Humboldt University in former East Germany.

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Formation of the CPP

On June 12, 1949, Dr Nkrumah led the formation of the CPP at Arena in Accra before a crowd of some 60,000.

He was made Chairman, with Komla Agbeli Gbedemah as Vice Chairman and Kojo Botsio as Secretary. Other members of the Central Committee included N.A. Welbeck, Kwesi Plange, Krobo Edusei, Dzenkle Dzewu and Ashie Nikoi.

Dr Nkrumah declared “positive action” on January 8, 1950 in front of a large CPP crowd at a public meeting in Accra. He travelled to Sekondi, Cape Coast and Takoradi to repeat it.

The colonial government declared a state of emergency which took effect on January 12, 1950, and prohibited the holding of processions, imposed curfews and disconnected public services in certain areas.

Three years imprisonment

Dr Nkrumah was arrested on January 21, 1950, tried for inciting an illegal strike and sedition for an article in the Cape Coast Daily Mail and sentenced to three years imprisonment.

Mr Gbedemah kept the party running and was in constant touch with Dr Nkrumah who was held at the James Fort Prison from where messages were smuggled out on toilet paper to the party headquarters.

Stunning victory

While in prison, Dr Nkrumah led the CPP to achieve a stunning victory in the February 1951 election.

He was freed to form a government, and he led the colony to independence in 1957.

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A firm believer in African liberation, Nkrumah pursued a radical pan-African policy, playing a key role in the formation of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963.

At home, he led a massive socio-economic development that saw the springing up of infrastructure across the country.

As time passed, he was accused of being a dictator and also of forming a one-party state in 1964, with himself as President for life, as well as actively promoting a cult of his own personality.

Overthrown by the military in 1966 with the help of Western backing, he spent his last years in exile, dying in Bucharest, Romania, on April 27, 1972. His legacy and dream of a “United States of Africa” still remains a goal among many.

The day marks the Eid Ul-Fitr, which is an important religious day celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

A statement from the Minister says the public holiday must be observed throughout the country.