Why the Eid-ul-Adha holiday on Wednesday, May 27, was not shifted to Friday

• The Government of Ghana has declared Wednesday, 27 May 2026, a public holiday for Eid-ul-Adha celebrations.

• Some citizens are questioning why the holiday was not moved to Friday, 29 May 2026, to create a long weekend.

• Authorities clarified that Eid-ul-Adha is a fixed religious holiday under Act 601 and cannot be rescheduled.

The announcement has, however, sparked debate on social media, with some Ghanaians questioning why the holiday was not moved to Friday, 29 May 2026, in order to create an extended weekend.

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The conversation comes in the wake of amendments to the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, which allows the President to shift selected midweek public holidays, particularly those falling on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, to either a Monday or Friday to improve productivity and encourage long weekends.

Despite this provision, government authorities have clarified that Eid-ul-Adha cannot be rescheduled.

Officials explained that the Islamic festival falls under a category of fixed national holidays that must be observed on their actual dates.

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Under Section 3 of Act 601 (as amended), holidays such as Eid-ul-Adha, Eid-ul-Fitr, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day are classified as “fixed holidays” and are therefore not subject to adjustment.

Because Eid-ul-Adha is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar and tied to specific religious observances, authorities stressed that it must be celebrated on the exact day it falls.

For 2026, that date has been confirmed as Wednesday, 27 May, and cannot be shifted to Friday, 29 May.

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The clarification has helped address public debate, although discussions continue online regarding the government’s holiday scheduling policy.