Here's why Nana Addo declared January 7 as a public holiday in Ghana

The rationale for the new holiday, according to the government, is to celebrate the longevity of the fourth republican constitution.

The 1992 constitution was promulgated on January 7 by the transitioning military administration led by Jerry John Rawlings.

The 1992 constitution is the longest surviving constitution in Ghana.

Previous ones in the first, second and third republics could not survive after military interventions and coups.

The day is being marked as "Constitution Day."

The day has been severely criticized by some Nkrumahists who see the new holiday as an attempt to downplay the role of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in achieving a republican status for Ghana.

Ghana became a republic on July 1, 1960, and until recently, the day was observed as a holiday.

With the new holiday amendment act, July 1 will no longer be a holiday.

In December 2018, a bill was laid before Parliament to amend the Public Holiday Act 2001 to provide for three different holidays.

These new holidays were 7th of January which was observed as the Constitution Day earlier in 2019, 4th of August which was described as the Founders’ Day and 21st of September was marked as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

In 2017, President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, proposed that August 4 should be observed as Founders Day in memory of the successive generations of Ghanaians who contributed to the liberation of the country from colonial rule and September 21 set aside as a memorial day for Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President who was instrumental in the fight for the 6th March independence.

This bill was subsequently passed by Parliament and assented to by the President.