Constitution Day: Government Declares Friday, January 9, as a Public Holiday

• The government has declared January 9, 2026, a public holiday for Constitution Day nationwide
• President Mahama shifted the Constitution Day observance from January 7 to January 9 via Executive Instrument
• Public reactions vary, from support for the holiday shift to concerns about excessive celebrations

The government has announced that Friday, January 9, 2026, will be observed as a public holiday across the country to mark Constitution Day.

In a statement, signed by the Minister of the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, it stated that even though Constitution Day officially falls on Wednesday, January 7, John Dramani Mahama has exercised his authority under an Executive Instrument (E.I.) to shift the public holiday to Friday.

The decision was made in line with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, 2001 (Act 601), as amended, to allow for broader national observance.

"The general public is hereby informed that Wednesday, 7th January 2026, marks Constitution Day, which is a Statutory Public Holiday."

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"However, in view of the fact that 7th January 2026 falls on a Wednesday, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, has, by Executive Instrument (E.I), in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act (Act 601), as amended, declared Friday, 9th January 2026, as a Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country," it added.

The statement, which was issued on January 2, 2026, urged the general public to take note of the change and observe the holiday accordingly.

Constitution Day commemorates the coming into force of the 1992 Constitution and the birth of Ghana's Fourth Republic. The Constitution, which was approved by referendum on April 28, 1992, came into effect on January 7, 1993, and remains the supreme law of the land.

Reactions to holiday announcement

YEN.com.gh collated some reactions to the statement shared by the Interior Ministry on social media. Read them below:

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@owulaspeed said:

"The holidays are too much for a developing country oo. Please cancel all Akufo-Addo-made holidays!"

@rashfordowski wrote:

"So the 7th January holiday has been moved to the 9th, rather?"

@BoadisenJnr said:

"Meaning Wednesday won't be a holiday but rather Friday."

@nana_208244459 wrote:

"You worry me oo."

@dj_misty1 said:

"Our money 💰 finish oo 🤣🤣."

@Bennett_Nkay wrote:

"You are doing well."

@mzz_Baaba said:

"Good bless Mahama 😭😂🥺."

@bachel_ wrote:

"Chaaaaaaley hmm. This is very necessary. Man has to rest."

@august_wealth said:

"I love me a holiday bonus."

@am_pending wrote:

"Mahama, you are too good😭."

@KofiMUFC said:

"This one is finish hard holiday."

@KSnetne wrote:

"After all the partying, this dey make sense."

Source: YEN.com.gh