Legendary music producer and showbiz pundit, Fred Kyei Mensah, has called on the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to reconsider its decision and reintroduce the Republic Day it abolished a couple of years ago for its tourism and amusement purposes.

Mr Kyei Mensah said the day was for merrymaking and generated revenue for the government through the taxation of various events organized during the holiday.

In 2018, the government of Ghana tabled an amendment to the Public Holidays Act to cancel the Republic Day and African Union Day public holidays in Ghana, marked annually on July 1 and May 25 respectively, and in compensation, to add January 7 as a new annual Constitution Day public holiday in Ghana.

The Republic Day commemorates Ghana becoming a republic on 1 July 1960. Until 2019, Republic Day was a public holiday.

But Uncle Fredyma as he is known in the Ghanaian showbiz fraternity has stated the decision was not thought through and that the Akufo-Addo-led government erred.

According to him, there was always a surge in the number of people flocking beaches and other recreational sites during the Republic Day juxtaposed to other holidays, however, abolishing it was out of place.

His comments come after Kwame Boadu Ansong, anchor of the Tourism Education segment on Power Entertainment on Power 97.9FM outlined the economic importance of the Republic Day and appealed to the succession government to consider reintroducing the non-working holiday.

Joining with his contribution on the weekend entertainment programme hosted by Agyemang Prempeh on Saturday, 26 September 2020, Mr Kyei Mensah mentioned, among other things, why the holiday needed to be restored and described the new January 7, Construction Day, holiday as non-strategical.

"Conduct research and see how people patronize Guinness and Club on that fateful day. This January it's been moved to, instead, isn't beneficial. We have just celebrated Christmas and run out of money. The politicians solely think about themselves. They should also consider the masses in their policies. The 1st of July was for the public. They should go back to the drawing board. Kwame, it's good you have drawn people's attention to that," he observed.



Uncle Fredyma added that "January 7 after Christmas there is harmattan and obviously, you will not get the perfect weather for holidays. But for July 1, that is our summer holiday. People travel from abroad to celebrate it. That is; where people get husbands, fiancees. I once got a girlfriend during such a period."

He proceeded stating categorically that the economic benefits of Republic Day far outweighs the political reasons for its cancellation.

"If Nana Akufo-Addo had considered these when he assumed office and decided to abrogate the holiday, he would have declined, but he did not consider these," he opined.



The music producer, however, alluded the government can reintroduce the holiday but rebrand it as tourism day since the day's celebration boost tourism in the country.

"The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts should rethink and make it [1st July] Tourism Day," the legendary music producer suggested.