 											<p  style="text-align: center">
                                              <b>
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              ABANDONED PROPERTY (DISPOSAL) 
                                              DECREE, 1974 (NRCD 308)</span></b></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">&nbsp;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Section</span></p>
											  
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              <a href=#1>1. Scrap metal</a></span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              <a href=#2>2. Timber</a></span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              <a href=#3>3. Hoardings and sign-boards</a></span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              <a href=#4>4. Dangers may be abated forthwith</a></span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              <a href=#5>5. Obstruction of authorised 
                                              officer</a></span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              <a href=#6>6. Exemption from liability</a></span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              <a href=#7>7. Interpretation</a></span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              IN pursuance of the National 
                                              Redemption Council&nbsp; 
                                              (Establishment) Proclamation, 1972 
                                              this Decree is hereby made.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <b>
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              <a name=1></a>
                                              Section 1&#8212;Scrap Metal.</span></b></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">

                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (1) Any scrap metal which has been 
                                              left or abandoned:&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (a) on any public land; or,</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (b) on any road; or</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (c) within twenty feet of any 
                                              road; or</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (d) within fifty feet of any road, 
                                              where such scrap metal in the 
                                              opinion of an authorised officer 
                                              has not been adequately fenced,</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              may be removed by an authorised 
                                              officer and disposed of in 
                                              accordance with this section.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (2) Where the scrap metal is a 
                                              motor vehicle to which the engine 
                                              and wheels are still attached, the 
                                              authorised officer shall affix to 
                                              the vehicle a notice requiring the 
                                              owner to remove it within fourteen 
                                              days after the date when the 
                                              notice was affixed (which shall be 
                                              stated in the notice); and where 
                                              the owner fails to do so the 
                                              authorised officer may after the 
                                              expiration of such period cause 
                                              the vehicle to be removed.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (3) In any other case the 
                                              authorised officer may cause the 
                                              scrap metal to be removed 
                                              forthwith.</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (4) Any scrap metal removed by an 
                                              authorised officer under this 
                                              section shall, upon such removal, 
                                              vest in the National Redemption 
                                              Council and shall be disposed of:&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (a) in accordance with the 
                                              instructions of the Commissioner 
                                              responsible for Industries; or
                                              </span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              (b) in the absence of such 
                                              instructions, in such manner as 
                                              the Inspector-General of Police or 
                                              a Regional Commissioner may 
                                              direct.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (5) For the purposes of this 
                                              section, &quot;authorised officer&quot; 
                                              means:&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              (a) any member of the Armed Forces 
                                              acting in accordance with the 
                                              written instructions of a Regional 
                                              Commissioner;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (b) any police officer acting in 
                                              accordance with the written 
                                              instructions of the 
                                              Inspector-General of Police;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (c) any public officer authorised 
                                              in that behalf by the Commissioner 
                                              responsible for Industries or by a 
                                              Regional Commissioner.</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (6)&nbsp; For the purposes of this 
                                              section, &#8220;scrap metal&#8221; means:&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (a) any motor vehicle or trailer 
                                              which is derelict;</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (b) any other article made wholly 
                                              or in part of metal which is 
                                              derelict or substantially unfit 
                                              for use;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (c) any part of any of the 
                                              foregoing.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <b>
                                              <a name=2></a>

                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Section 2&#8212;Timber.</span></b></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (1) Any tree, timber or log which 
                                              has been left or abandoned:&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              (a) on any public land; or</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (b) on any road; or</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (c) within fifty feet of any road,</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              may be removed by an authorised 
                                              officer and disposed of in 
                                              accordance with this section:</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Provided that this section shall 
                                              not apply to any tree, timber or 
                                              log which has been lawfully placed 
                                              by a timber contractor in the 
                                              ordinary course of his 
                                              operations:&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">(i) 
                                              at a proper and recognised 
                                              collection point; or</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (ii) at or near the approaches to 
                                              any harbour.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (2) The authorised officer shall 
                                              affix to the tree, timber or log a 
                                              notice requiring the owner to 
                                              remove it within fourteen days 
                                              after the date when the notice was 
                                              affixed (which shall be stated in 
                                              the notice); and where the owner 
                                              fails to do so, the authorised 
                                              officer may after the expiration 
                                              of such period cause the tree, 
                                              timber or log to be removed.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              (3) Any tree, timber or log 
                                              removed by an authorised officer 
                                              under this section shall, upon 
                                              such removal, vest in the National 
                                              Redemption Council and shall be 
                                              disposed of:&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (a) in accordance with the 
                                              instructions of the Commissioner 
                                              responsible for Lands; or</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (b) in the absence of such 
                                              instructions, in such manner as 
                                              the Inspector-General of Police or 
                                              a Regional Commissioner may 
                                              direct.</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (4) For the purposes of this 
                                              section, &quot;authorised officer&quot; 
                                              means:&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (a) any member of the Armed Forces 
                                              acting in accordance with the 
                                              written instructions of a Regional 
                                              Commissioner;</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (b) any police officer acting in 
                                              accordance with the written 
                                              instructions of the 
                                              Inspector-General of Police;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (c) any public officer authorised 
                                              in that behalf by the Commissioner 
                                              responsible for Lands or by a 
                                              Regional Commissioner.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <b>
                                              <a name=3></a>

                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Section 3&#8212;Hoardings and 
                                              Sign-Boards.</span></b></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (1) Subject to subsection (2), any 
                                              hoarding or sign-board (in this 
                                              section referred to as &quot;an 
                                              unauthorised hoarding or 
                                              sign-board&quot;) which has been 
                                              erected or left:&#8212; </span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">

                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (a) on any road or path; or</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (b) within ten feet of any road; 
                                              or</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (c) within twenty feet of any road 
                                              junction, roundabout or bridge; or</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (d) on any public land; or</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (e) in such a position as to 
                                              obstruct the clear view of any 
                                              driver on a road,</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              may be removed by an authorised 
                                              officer and disposed of in 
                                              accordance with this section.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (2) This section shall not apply 
                                              to any hoarding or sign-board 
                                              erected by or with the consent of 
                                              the Government or in the exercise 
                                              of a statutory power unless it is 
                                              such a position as to obstruct the 
                                              clear view of any driver on a 
                                              road.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (3) The authorised officer shall 
                                              affix to the unauthorised hoarding 
                                              or sign-board a notice requiring 
                                              the owner to remove it within 
                                              seven days after the date when the 
                                              notice was affixed (which shall be 
                                              stated in the notice), and where 
                                              the owner fails to do so the 
                                              authorised officer may after the 
                                              expiration of such period cause 
                                              the unauthorised hoarding or 
                                              sign-board to be removed.</span></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (4) Any unauthorised hoarding or 
                                              sign-board removed by an 
                                              authorised officer under this 
                                              section shall, upon such removal, 
                                              vest in the National Redemption 
                                              Council and shall be destroyed or 
                                              otherwise disposed of&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (a) in accordance with the 
                                              instructions of the Regional 
                                              Commissioner; or</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              (b) in the absence of such 
                                              instructions, in such manner as 
                                              the Inspector-General of Police or 
                                              the local authority for the area 
                                              may direct.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (5) For the purposes of this 
                                              section, &#8220;authorised officer&#8221; 
                                              means:&#8212;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              (a) any public officer authorised 
                                              in that behalf by a Regional 
                                              Commissioner; or</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              (b) any member of the Police 
                                              Service or employee of a local 
                                              authority.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <b>
                                              <a name=4></a>
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Section 4&#8212;Dangers may be Abated 
                                              Forthwith.</span></b></p>

                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Notwithstanding the foregoing 
                                              provisions of this Decree, any 
                                              authorised officer may if he 
                                              thinks fit cause the immediate 
                                              removal to the nearest safe place 
                                              of any property to which this 
                                              Decree applies, if he finds such 
                                              property in any place where it may 
                                              constitute a danger or 
                                              obstruction:</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Provided that when the property is 
                                              so removed to a safe place, any 
                                              notices required by this Decree 
                                              shall be affixed to the property 
                                              as if such property had not been 
                                              removed.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <b>
                                              <a name=5></a>

                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Section 5&#8212;Obstruction of 
                                              Authorised Officer.</span></b></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Any person who obstructs or 
                                              molests an authorised officer in 
                                              the exercise of any of his powers 
                                              under this Decree, or who does any 
                                              act with the intention of 
                                              preventing an authorised officer 
                                              from exercising such powers, shall 
                                              be guilty of an offence and liable 
                                              on conviction to a fine not 
                                              exceeding ¢200.00 or to 
                                              imprisonment not exceeding twelve 
                                              months or to both.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <b>
                                              <a name=6></a>

                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Section 6&#8212;Exemption from 
                                              Liability.</span></b></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              No civil action, whether for 
                                              compensation or otherwise, shall 
                                              be brought against the Republic or 
                                              any public officer or authorised 
                                              officer in respect of any act done 
                                              in good faith in the execution or 
                                              intended execution of the 
                                              provisions of this Decree.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <b>
                                              <a name=7></a>

                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Section 7&#8212;Interpretation.</span></b></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              In this Decree, unless the context 
                                              otherwise requires:</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              &#8220;path&#8221;&nbsp; includes a pavement or 
                                              footway;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              &#8220;public land&#8221; includes land vested 
                                              by any means in the Republic, the 
                                              Chairman of the National 
                                              Redemption Council on behalf of 
                                              the Republic, the Government, any 
                                              organ or agency of the Government 
                                              or any statutory corporation, 
                                              whether such land is vested in 
                                              trust or otherwise;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              &#8220;road&#8221; means any highway, street, 
                                              lane or other place whether a 
                                              thoroughfare or not to which motor 
                                              vehicles have a right of access;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              &#8220;vehicle&#8221; includes any motor 
                                              vehicle, trailer, agricultural 
                                              vehicle or cycle.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              Made this 20th day of&nbsp; December, 
                                              1974.</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 180.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              COLONEL&nbsp; I. K. ACHEAMPONG</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 180.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">

                                              Chairman of the National 
                                              Redemption Council</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 72.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">&nbsp;</span></p>
                                              <p  style="text-align: justify; margin-left: 72.0pt">
                                              <span style="font-family: Arial">
                                              Date of Gazette Notification: 27th 
                                              December, 1974.</span></p>
