Trending GH: We have enough holidays; scrap Founders’ Day – Ghanaians share their views

Some Ghanaians are yet to come to terms with the change of Founders’ Day commemoration from 21st September to 4th August.

This was revealed when GhanaWeb asked some members of the general public about the new date for Founders’ Day.

Whiles some people are aware of today being a holiday, others seem to be oblivious of the event that is being celebrated and its significance.
People who are in tune with the existence of the holiday expressed contrasting views on the purpose of the holiday.

“It is not necessary at all Akufo-Addo, should scrap it”, a gentleman lamented, but another person thought otherwise.
Articulating reasons why it is important to have the Founders Day Holiday, he said “In my belief it is important, because it is to commemorate our leaders who have achieved great things for us”.

Founders’ day prior to the passing of the Public Holiday Amendment Bill into law in March 2019 was observed on the 21st of September each year. The now Holiday Amendment Act, passed by Parliament has seen the date changed to 4th August.

Yesterday marked the first time the annual Founders’ Day was marked on 4th August. With the day falling on a Sunday, government through a communique issued by the Ministry of Interior declared today Monday, 05 August 2019 a statutory holiday.

The new date was chosen purposefully, as it marks two important events in the history of Ghana. The date commemorates the formation of the Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society by John Mensah Sarbah in 1897, and the formation of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) in 1947 by J.B. Danquah and George Alfred "Paa" Grant.

President Akufo-Addo, who has been a leading propounder of the Holiday Amendment Bill in his speech at a Luncheon held in honour of Senior Citizens as part of this year’s celebrations at the Accra International Conference Centre, (AICC), said, the reason for the institution of the Founders’ Day Holiday is to celebrate the collective work of Ghana’s forbearers.

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