Nkrumah’s Birthday: New Holiday Moves to Monday

The government has officially restored September 21, the birthday of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as a public holiday. Consequently, the national holiday will once again be called Founder’s Day. The day falls on a Sunday this year. For this reason, the Ministry of the Interior has declared Monday, September 22, a public holiday. President John Dramani Mahama used an Executive Instrument to make the change. This action aligns with a recent amendment to the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act.

The change follows the 2025 amendment to the law. Under this new amendment, holidays that fall on a weekend are moved to the following Monday. This adjustment ensures that Ghanaians still get to observe the public holiday. The decision to make Nkrumah’s birthday Founder’s Day is a significant change. Earlier this year, Parliament revised the entire holiday calendar.

The revised calendar brought several major changes. For instance, in addition to reinstating Nkrumah’s birthday, it restored July 1 as Republic Day. It also introduced a new “Shaqq Day,” to be observed after the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday. Furthermore, the amendment removed August 4 as Founders’ Day. These changes were part of a comprehensive review of the country’s public holidays.

The move to reinstate September 21 as Founder’s Day and declare Monday a holiday has received widespread attention. The government’s decision marks a return to the previous holiday structure. It honors Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The day will now be a time to reflect on his contributions to Ghana’s independence. It will be a day of celebration for citizens across the country.