President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to amend the Public Holidays Act to introduce an additional public holiday for the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
Speaking at the Sod cutting ceremony of the New Hajj Village in Accra on Friday February 28,2025, revealed that, the extra two holidays promised after the end of Ramadan during his campaign last year would begin this year.
“I have instructed the legal counsel at the presidency Marietta Brew to amend the public Holiday Act to provide an extra holiday for the Muslim celebration of Eid- al- Fitr therefore beginning this year, there would be two days of Holiday at the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan”.
President Mahama further directed the Hajj Taskforce that the Hajj pilgrimage should not be treated as a profit-making venture.
He instructed that any surplus funds generated from the pilgrimage should be donated to the poor or used for projects that benefit the Muslim community.
“Hajj is not a business; it is a sacred religious obligation,” President Mahama stated. “If there is even one cedi left after the performance of Hajj, that money should be donated to the poor or used for a project in the Muslim community.”