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Wednesday, September 21st, has been declared a statutory public holiday, a Ministry of the Interior statement to Ghana News Agency stated on Monday. The statement signed by the Deputy Minister, Mr Kwabena Akyeampong stated: �The general public is hereby reminded that Wednesday, September 21st which marks the Founder�s Day is a Statutory Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country�. The Founder�s Day, September 21st was instituted by President John Evans Atta Mills, in honour of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, first Ghanaian President and one of the most revered black freedom fighters in the world. The celebration which started last year, is also to immortalise the country's founder, Dr Nkrumah, whose birthday falls on that day. Dr Nkrumah was the motivating force behind the independence of Ghana from British rule in 1957 and became the first president of the country. At its 13th Ordinary Summit in the Libyan town of Sirte, the African Union (AU) also adopted the centenary birthday celebration of the founder and first President of the Republic of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, as a continental event. In a resolution adopted at the end of the summit, the African leaders stated that, "We unanimously agreed to celebrate Dr Nkrumah's centenary birthday and put it on the AU's calendar of Special Events".