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The Minority said the Bill was an attempt to change the long-held history of Ghana with the view that, globally, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is the founder of Ghana, hence their decision to walk out when the Bill is being debated.
The government is seeking an amendment to the Public Holidays Act that will make August 4 a Founders’ Day public holiday.
Under the same amendment, September 21, which is celebrated as the Founder's Day holiday will now become the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day holiday.
The purpose of this Bill is to amend the Public Holidays Act, 2001 (Act 601) to provide for the January 7, August 4 and September 21, as additional statutory public holidays and for the celebration of May 25, and July 1, as commemorative days.
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Per the bill all 3 days will be observed as statutory holidays in addition to the two already existing commemorative days, July 1 and May 25, Republic Day and AU Day, respectively.
The Amendment Bill outlined the number of holidays in the year. These are "New Year Day (1st January) Constitution Day (January 7) Independence Day (6TH March), Good Friday, Easter Monday, Eid-al-Fitr (Ramadan), Workers Day (1st May), Farmers Day (1st Friday in December) Christmas Day (25th December), Boxing Day (26th December), African Union Day (25th May), Republic Day (1st July)."
The Chairman of The Select Committee on Defence and Interior, Seth Kwame Achampong noted that the existing Founder's Day holiday which is observed on the 21st day of September, will now be observed as a Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day and will continue to be a public holiday.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs repeatedly accused the government of rewriting the history of Ghana by obliterating the influence of Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP and elevating JB Danquah and his UGCC party.