Mahama promises Muslims an additional Eid holiday

On December 31, 2023, 9:25 PM

Former President John Dramani Mahama has promised Muslims an additional Eid holiday if he is elected president in the 2024 general elections.

Mr Mahama said his government would push for Parliament to review the existing holidays to benefit Muslims, who form a chunk of the Ghanaian population.

“It is our intention to resolve the situation where some of our Muslim brothers and sisters do not enjoy the public holiday at the end of the Ramadan fast due to the 29 or 30-day rule based on the sighting of the moon,” he said. “Therefore, we will add an additional holiday to the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr”.

He continued: “We will do this by re-configuring the Public Holidays Act so that Ghana maintains overall the same number of public holidays per year so that we do not affect productivity”.

Mr Mahama was speaking at the 63rd annual national conference of the Ghana Muslim Mission in Kumasi on Friday.

Madina MP Sosu starts the processes

NDC MP Francis-Xavier Sosu has already initiated this by proposing a new bill to amend the country’s Public Holidays Act 2001, Act 601, to provide two additional Islamic public holidays.

Mr Sosu said the proposed days are the day before the Eid-al-Fitr, which Muslims observe as the Shaqq day (a day before the end of the holy month of Ramadan in which Muslims mark the end of the fast), and the Tashreeq day (a day after the Eid-al-Adha in which Muslims remember the unwavering trust by Prophet Ibrahim to offer his son as a sacrifice).

The lawyer presented the bill to the Clerk of Parliament on Wednesday, November 29, 2023.

Mr. Sosu said in a statement on Thursday, November 14, that the Public Holidays Act 2001, Act 601, was amended to establish a more inclusive, productive, and progressive society.

According to him, the goal of the Public Holidays (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (No. 2) was to provide Muslims with two days off for each Islamic holiday instead of the current one.

“The right of every Ghanaian to freedom of religion is fundamental. In Article 21(c), every Ghanaian has the freedom to practice and manifest any religion. Being the 2nd dominant religion in Ghana, Ghanaian Muslims must have equal opportunities when it comes to the celebration of religious festivals.”

“After 40 days of the mandatory religious obligation of fasting, practitioners of the Islamic religion deserve an additional day for rest and to prepare for full activities,” the MP said.

“The religious significance of these holidays is to afford Muslims the opportunity to fully manifest and observe their faith and offer gratitude to Allah for all that He has done, granted them, and continues to do, as well as for them to fully place and restore their trust in Allah and His abundant care, grace, and wisdom,” he added.

According to the Madina MP, the current system is unfair and discriminatory. It prevents Muslims from fully expressing their Islamic faith as it is defined and safeguarded by the 1992 Constitution as well as other international laws and treaties.

“When passed, this Act will go a long way to promote religious tolerance and help realize, promote, and guarantee a more open, progressive, inclusive, and secure society,” he stated.