Founding member of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has called for the reinstatement of July 1 as Ghana’s Republic Day, citing its importance in the country’s history.
According to him, the day should not be ignored to serve any political whims or caprices.
He says Ghana as a nation cannot write its history without July 1, indicating that scrapping certain holidays from the nation’s calendar is part of the mistakes the nation has been making.
Speaking on Hot Issues on TV3 on Sunday, May 4, 2025, the former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) argued that certain “unnecessary” holidays should be abolished for July 1 to be reinstated.
“I mentioned July 1, it is an important part of our history but it appears it has been ignored. The name July 1st should be there as Republic Day. Other unnecessary holidays should be dropped and had it celebrated because it is an important day for this nation,” he stated.
Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe added that a day like June 4 should equally be commemorated by the state since it forms part of the nation’s historical journey.
The NPP founding member explained that commemorating the day as part of Ghana’s history doesn’t mean it’s being celebrated. However, he believes it can’t be erased from the nation’s journey since it played a certain role back then.
“When you talk of history, it (June 4) is a historic part of our development and no one should ignore it. It is different from celebrating it. These are some of the mistakes that we have been making,” he reemphasised.
Background
July 1 was recognised as Ghana’s Republic Day until former President William Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo changed it.
The change followed a debate over whether Kwame Nkrumah’s birthday should be set as Ghana’s Founder’s Day, with arguments that other contributors to Ghana’s independence were being sidelined.
Akufo-Addo then proposed September 21, –Nkrumah’s birthday –to be observed as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day for the Founder’s Day to be replaced by August 4.
The Presidency’s statement at the time said August 4, is “obviously the most appropriate day to signify our recognition and appreciation of the collective efforts of our forebears towards the founding of a free, independent Ghana.”
The shift was met by criticism from across the political divide, especially groups with Nkrumaist ties. The Public Holiday Amendment Act 2019 (Act 986) was then assented to by then President Akufo-Addo.
He assented to it on April 16, 2019, according to a statement from the Interior Ministry.
Included in the Act was the change of Ghana’s Republic Day celebration from July 1 to January 7, based on the argument that it was the day Ghana’s Fourth Republic, which is still in existence, was established.
The statement signed by Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery stated that all holidays are to be recognized by the general public with the awareness that commemorative days would not be observed as holidays.
Full Text: Statement by the CPP to mark Ghana’s 64th Republic Day
