The Minister for Interior, Honourable Ambrose has said today, Wednesday, 4th August 2021 which marks Founders’ Day, is a Statutory Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country.
This is the third time under Nana Akufo-Addo`s administration that Founders’ Day is being marked on 4th August aftera bill was laid before parliament to amend the Public Holiday Act 2001 to provide for three different holidays in 2018.
President Akufo-Addo approved the Public Holidays (Amendment) Act 2019, (Act), on 16th April 2019.
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 has now been assented to by the President and the following days will be observed as Statutory Public Holidays and Commemorative days.
Since 2009, Founder’s Day celebration was held on 21st September until 2018 where the Akufo-Addo administration changed the date from September to August.
Late President John Evans Atta Mills declared September 21, Founder’s Day in 2009 in honor of Ghana’s first President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, one of the most revered black freedom fighters in the world.
Currently, Ghana has 13 Statutory Public holidays from January to December and two Commemorative days, is African Union Day- 25th May and Republic Day- 1st July, and Whilst the Public holidays would be observed as such, the commemorative days would only be observed but not as holidays.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Kofi Atakora
