President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to restore Republic Day as a national holiday and to introduce an additional public holiday for Eid al-Fitr. During his thank-you tour in the Western Region on Wednesday, February 5, he revealed that his administration would amend the Public Holidays Act to reinstate July 1 as a national holiday, recognizing Ghana’s transition to self-governance under its constitution.
This move follows the 2019 amendment by former President Nana Akufo-Addo, which removed Republic Day from the list of public holidays. Additionally, Mahama reaffirmed his commitment to the Muslim community by proposing an official holiday for Eid al-Fitr.
He also outlined plans to establish a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving, which he suggested should be observed on July 1. This date coincides with Senior Citizens’ Day and serves as an opportunity to reflect on Ghana’s progress and seek divine guidance.
Mahama assured Ghanaians of his commitment to fulfilling the pledges made during his campaign. “We will soon have an opportunity as a nation to pray and give thanks to the Almighty God, as enjoined by the holy book, which teaches us to give thanks in all things. We will thank God for His blessings on our nation, Ghana. I will soon announce a planning committee made up of religious leaders to organize the national day of prayer and thanksgiving.
“I propose that this national day of prayer and thanksgiving be held on July 1, which is also our Republic Day and marks Senior Citizens’ Day. To you, my brothers and sisters, I want to express my gratitude to all the hundreds of people who voted for me here in the Western Region. I reaffirm my commitment to honoring the trust and confidence you have placed in me. We will deliver on our promises, and I hope you will soon see tangible, life-changing development across the region,” he assured.
