President John Dramani Mahama has announced that July 1 will officially be recognized as a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving.
The President made the announcement on February 5 during his Thank You Tour in the Western Region, where he addressed chiefs, residents, and supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“July 1 will be observed as a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving, allowing Ghanaians to reflect and express appreciation for the nation’s progress,” Mahama declared.
A Holiday Restored, A Nation Called to Prayer
Beyond the symbolic addition of prayer and thanksgiving, Mahama reaffirmed his commitment to restoring July 1 as a public holiday, reversing a controversial decision made during President Akufo-Addo’s tenure.
The day, which marks Ghana’s attainment of Republican status in 1960, was originally a public holiday until it was stripped of that status under the previous administration. It has since been recognized as Senior Citizens Day but remained a working day.
Mahama, however, intends to change that.
“We will soon present to Parliament amendments to the Public Holidays Act in order that we can restore July 1 as a holiday,” he assured.
