Accra: Ghana’s government, through the Ministry for the Interior, has declared Friday, March 20, 2026, and Saturday, March 21, 2026, as statutory public holidays to mark Eid-Ul-Fitr and Shaqq days.

In a statement, the ministry said that the president has, through an Executive Instrument (E.I.), in accordance with Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act (Act 601), as amended, declared Monday, March 23, 2026, as an additional public holiday.

This was because March 21, 2026, falls on a Saturday.

Muslims in Ghana are likely to end the 2026 Ramadan on either Wednesday, March 18, or Thursday, March 19, depending on the moon sighting, following its start on February 18, 2026, and February 19, 2026.

Granting Muslims two days to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr had been a key campaign promise of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by John Dramani Mahama in the run-up to the 2024 general elections.

The additional holiday was meant to grant Muslims the liberty to celebrate the Eid regardless of the complexities surrounding moon sighting, which creates a situation where some Muslims marked Eid on days that are not necessarily declared holidays, thus ensuring that all Muslims can participate in the celebrations without confusion or conflict.