Scrapping Republic, Founder's Day: Ghanaians will write their own history one day - Pratt

Seasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt has cautioned the Akufo-Addo administration against a new bill before Parliament drafted by the government to amend the Public Holidays Act.

The new bill which was laid by the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, on Thursday, December 13 seeks to make January 7 Constitution Day and August 4, Founders' Day.

The government is also proposing to scrap the Republic holiday on July 1 and AU holiday on May 25 whereas the Founder's Day on September 21 will no more be observed as Founder's Day but only as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

The proposal is to ensure that AU and Republic Days are only observed as commemorative days.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last year 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 who played a key role in the country's independence.

Kwesi Pratt questioned the logic in scrapping the Republic Day and introducing January 7 as statutory holiday.

According to him, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is an African icon and his immense contributions to Ghana's independence and the liberation of Africa cannot be underestimated.

He wondered why the government wants to change the history of Ghana.

Kwesi Pratt noted that, going by the logic of the Akufo-Addo government for seeking to scrap the Republic and Founder's Days, the government should then celebrate all the characters and entities that played instrumental roles in the attainment of Ghana's independence.

He also added that Republic Day as well as 6th March represents landmarks to Ghana's independence and so there shouldn't be attempts to amend them.

He noted that the government's attempt to amend those holidays will distort the history of Ghana, with particular emphasis on the legacy of Dr. Nkrumah and his relevance as the Founder of Ghana.

"The people of Ghana will write their own history in the foreseeable future" if the government advances its motive to amend the Republic and Founder's Days, he told sit-in host Nana Yaw Kesseh on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo'.