The Interior Ministry has declared Monday, May 3, 2021 as a public holiday in commemoration of Workers’ Day (May Day) which falls today.
A statement by the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, explained that the celebration of Workers’ Day this year falls on Saturday, May 1, which is a weekend, therefore Monday, May 3, has been declared a public holiday by the President.
“The general public is hereby notified that Saturday, May 1, 2021, marks May Day (Workers’ Day) which is a statutory public holiday,” adding that “However, in view of the fact that 1st May , falls on a Saturday, 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) declared Monday, May 3, 2021 as an additional Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country,” the statement read.
Per Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act (Act 601), the President in exercising his Executive power may declare additional public holiday(s).
Meanwhile, the Forum for Public Sector Associations and Unions is pushing for the Workers’ Day Celebration to be organised under the auspices of the country’s three labour centres.
These are the FORUM for Public Sector Associations and Unions, Ghana Trades Union Congress, and the Ghana Federation of Labour.
According to the unions, which consist of the largest public sector workers, it is time for the country to recognise Trade Centre plurality and give equal recognition to all during the celebration of Workers’ Day.
Chairman of the FORUM, Isaac Bampoe Addo, in a letter to the Employment Minister, Ignatius Baffoe Awuah, titled, ‘2021 National May Day Celebration’ stated that “The FORUM for Public Sector Associations and Unions at its meeting held on April 15, 2021 noted that it is time to recognise Trade Centre plurality in the country.
“The FORUM, therefore, decided that starting from this year, 2021, the organisation of May Day celebrations should be done under the auspices of the three labour centres in the country: namely The Ghana Trades Union Congress, The Ghana Federation of Labour, and The FORUM for Public Sector Associations and Unions.”
The letter added that: “It is in this context that the FORUM believes May Day celebrations will take on a national character by recognizing Labour Centres in Ghana. We humbly request you to recognise all the Labour Centres in organising May Day Celebrations in Ghana. The FORUM wishes to hear favourably from you.”