President Nana Akufo-Addo has declared Election Day, Monday, 7 December 2020 as a public holiday.
A statement issued by the Director of Communication at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, on Wednesday, 2 December 2020, said it is to “facilitate the conduct of the election in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, help ensure strict observance of COVID-19 safety protocols on election day, and enable registered voters to exercise their franchise in safety and with minimal inconvenience.”
The statement also said Farmers Day, which is billed for Friday, 4 December 2020, will not be a public holiday.
“Under section 3 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, 2001 (Act 601), the President has the power to declare any other day as a public holiday, instead of a day specified as a statutory public holiday.”
“Thus, with Farmers Day having been celebrated on Friday, 6th November 2020, the President is satisfied that it will be inexpedient for Friday, 4th December 2020, which is a statutory public holiday, to be observed as a public holiday. As such, Friday, 4th December 2020, will not be observed as a holiday.”
The President’s decision followed an agreement between the political parties and the Electoral Commission, to make the day of the election a holiday.
The agreement was reached at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee meeting on Wednesday.
In a statement, the EC said its proposal sought to “give registered voters the opportunity to devote the day to exercise their civic right and responsibility to vote during the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.”