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President John Dramani Mahama has officially declared July 1 a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving.
The new national holiday replaces Republic Day, which is observed on July 1 every year.
President Mahama made the declaration when he inaugurated a committee to plan the National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving.
The committee – drawn from the various Christian and Islamic denominations and councils – is chaired by a former Minister of Youth and Sports, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, with Prophet Dr Akwasi Agyemang Prempeh as the coordinator.
The day has been set aside to unite Ghanaians of all faiths and express gratitude to God for the nation’s abundant blessings.
President Mahama, whose speech was interwoven with quotations from the Bible and the Quran, said the peace and unity Ghana continued to enjoy should not be taken for granted.
“In an era marked by division, disaster and despair, Ghana remains, by the grace of God, an oasis of peace, stability and spiritual unity.
This peace is not accidental; it is the result of committed leadership, communal resilience and, above all, the steadfast prayers and supplications of a faithful nation,” he said.
He said one of Ghana’s greatest blessings was the harmony with which it practised its diverse faiths, adding that Christians, Muslims and traditionalists worshipped differently but worked together as one people, a national treasure that must not be taken for granted.
“Let this be a legacy, a sacred pause in our national calendar that generations to come will celebrate.
A day when Ghana does not cry out in fear but rejoices in faith. May God bless the work of the National Prayer and Thanksgiving Committee,” he added.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Ankrah, pledged his commitment to make the day meaningful and unifying for all Ghanaians.
“We assure you, Mr President and the good people of Ghana, that we will discharge our duties with diligence and dedication. We understand the weight of the responsibility entrusted to us,” he said.
He added that the holiday would not just be another national occasion but a spiritual journey for the nation.
“It is about nurturing a spiritual culture of gratitude, about fostering unity in diversity and about elevating our national consciousness to appreciate the hand of God in the affairs of our country,” he added.
The committee chairman also promised to ensure broad engagement across the country, adding, “We will consult broadly, we will engage inclusively, we will bring everybody on board from every region, every faith, every background because the national day of thanksgiving belongs to all of us”.
