Republic Day

On July 1, 1960, Ghana adopted a republican Constitution after a referendum, ended Elizabeth II’s role as Queen of Ghana and installed Kwame Nkrumah as the first President. This was distinct from independence on March 6, 1957. Republic Day also developed an association with honouring senior citizens whose work helped build the post-colonial state.

Act 986 moved Republic Day to the non-closing commemorative schedule in 2019. Act 1142 restored it as a statutory public holiday in 2025, and the current government also associates July 1 with a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving. Those changes reflect differing political choices about national memory rather than a change in the historical date of republican status.

Republic Day is in the First Schedule to the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, 2001 (Act 601), as amended most recently by Act 1142 of 2025. Section 4 generally prohibits opening a shop or engaging in business on a public holiday, but exempts food and grocery shops, pharmacies, licensed restaurants and hotels, food markets, licensed liquor premises and essential services including health care, utilities, aviation, fuel, telecommunications and public transport. Labour Act 651 section 72 preserves workers’ remuneration; temporary and casual staff who work receive the additional payment specified by section 77. Weekend or midweek movement is not automatic: it requires an Executive Instrument, and the 2025 rules contain stated exclusions, so the Ministry’s annual notices control the actual closure date.