LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1993 (ACT
462)
As amended by
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
(SYSTEM) ACT, 1994 (ACT 480).1
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE ACT, 2003
(ACT 655).2
INTERNAL REVENUE (REGISTRATION OF
BUSINESS) ACT, 2005 (ACT 684).3
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Section
PART I—DISTRICTS AND DISTRICT
ASSEMBLIES
1. Creation of Districts
2. Responsibility of Electoral
Commission
3. Establishment of District
Assemblies
4. Incorporation of District
Assemblies
5. Composition of District
Assemblies
6. Qualifications and
disqualifications of members of
District Assemblies
7. Mode of seeking election to
Assembly
8. Cessation of office of members
of District Assemblies
9. Revocation of mandate of member
of District Assembly
10. Functions of District
Assemblies
11. District Assemblies to approve
budgets
12. Planning and other functions
of District Assemblies
13. Functions under other
enactments
14. Health officers of District
Assemblies
15. District Assemblies to
delegate functions
16. Duties of members of Assembly
17. Presiding Member of District
Assembly
18. Meetings of District
Assemblies
19. Executive Committee of
District Assemblies
20. District Chief Executive
21. Functions of the Executive
Committee
22. Meetings of Executive
Committee
23. Dissolution of Executive
Committee
24. Sub-committees of Executive
Committee
25. Functions of sub-committees
26. Instrument of establishment of
Metropolitan Assemblies
27. Establishment of Public
Relations and Complaints Committee
28. District Chief Executive to
address Assembly
29. Other appointees of President
to address Assembly
30. District Assemblies to provide
transport services
31. Provision of offices, etc. by
District Assemblies
32. Joint Committees of District
Assemblies
33. Joint commercial activity
34. Power to charge fees
35. Writing off irrecoverable
arrears of revenue
36. District Co-ordinating
Director
37. Local Government Service and
staff of District Assembly
38. District Assemblies to
establish departments
39. District Tender Boards
40. Assemblies' power to insure
41. Ancillary powers of District
Assemblies
42. Investigation by President
43. Power to enforce functions of
Assemblies
44. Expenses in respect of
transferred functions
45. Assemblies to make
contributions to Association
PART II—PLANNING FUNCTIONS OF
DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES
46. Establishment of District
Planning Authority and its
functions
47. District development plans
48. Compliance with district
development plans
49. Permit to carry out physical
development
50. Development charges
51. Development permit to be
conditional or unconditional
52. Enforcement in respect of
unauthorised development
53. Enforcement in respect of
execution of district plans
54. Enforcement against nuisance
55. Enforcement against
unauthorised development in
respect of community right of
space
56. Claims for compensation
57. Appeals
58. Appeals Advisory Boards
59. Functions of Appeals Advisory
Board
60. Recovery of betterment
61. Non-conforming land
allocations and transactions
62. Building bye-laws
63. National building regulations
64. Building permits and
unauthorised buildings
65. Signing of plans of special
buildings
66. Delegation of functions
67. Request for information
68. Power of entry
69. Immunity of officers from
liability
PART III—PROVISION OF FIRE SERVICE
70. Application of fire service
provisions
71. Power of entry of premises
72. Control of Traffic
73. Penalty for obstruction
74. Penalty for false alarms
75. Enquiries by Committee into
origin of fire
PART IV—LICENCES
76. Licensing of vehicles
77. Entertainment licences
78. Provisions as to licences
generally
PART V—BYE-LAWS
79. District Assembly to make
bye-laws
80. Validity of bye-laws
81. Model bye-laws
82. Copy of bye-laws to be
deposited at Assembly offices
83. Evidence of bye-laws
PART VI—ACQUISITION OF IMMOVABLE
PROPERTY
84. Power of Assembly to acquire
land
85. Development charges on
serviced land
PART VII—FINANCIAL MATTERS
86. Revenue of local government
bodies
87. Expenditure
88. Power to borrow
89. Investment of funds
90. Accounts
91. Power of Minister to give
financial instructions
92. District budgets
93. Access to records of District
Assemblies
PART VIII—RATES
94. Rating authority
95. Duty to make sufficient rates
96. Method of rating
97. Making and levying of rate
98. Date and place of payment of
rate
99. Exemptions from and remission
of rates
100. Minister to issue guidelines
101. Claim for amount of rate
102. Rates on immovable property
to be charged on the premises
103. Rate of Assessment Committees
104. Notice where general or
special rate not paid
105. Notice of mortgage in respect
of rateable premises
106. Proceedings in case of
non-payment of rates
107. Agreement between landlord
and tenant
108. Penalty for refusal to pay
rates and wilful misrepresentation
109. Penalty for inciting a person
not to pay rates
110. Penalty for unauthorised
collection of rates
111. Rate payers and rate
collectors
112. Penalty in respect of
offences by rate collectors
113. Proceedings for rates
114. Payment of rates by public
boards, institutions and
Government
115. Employers to deduct rates
from employers' remuneration
116. Rating authority to appoint
agent for collection of rates
117. Set-off and refund
118. Penalty
119. Duty to give information and
inspection of premises in respect
of rates
PART IX—INTERNAL AUDIT
120. Internal Audit
PART X—AUDIT
121. Auditor-General to audit
accounts of District Assemblies
122. Auditor-General may disallow
or surcharge
123. Recovery of sums certified
due
124. Suspension pending appeal
125. Publication of annual
statement of accounts and
auditors' report
126. Definition of "audit"
PART XI—LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, NOTICES
127. Notice of suit to be given to
Assembly
128. Mode of service on Assembly
129. Description of property
130. Power of entry
131. Publication of notices
132. Occupier to provide specified
particulars
PART XII—PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
133. Freedom of speech and
proceedings in Assembly
134. Immunity from proceedings for
acts in Assembly
135. Immunity from service as
juryman
136. Immunity from service of
process and arrest
137. Immunity from publication of
proceedings
138. Privileges of witnesses
139. Contempt of Assembly
PART XIII—REGIONAL CO-ORDINATING
COUNCILS
140. Establishment of Regional
Co-ordinating Councils
141. Composition of Regional
Co-ordinating Councils
142. Functions of Regional
Co-ordinating Councils
143. Planning functions of
Regional Co-ordinating Councils
144. Meetings of Regional
Co-ordinating Councils
145. Regional Minister
146. Regional Management
PART XIV—MISCELLANEOUS
147. Obstruction of officers
148. Penalty for unqualified
person sitting or voting in
Assembly
149. Delegation of powers of
President or Minister
150. Supply of information to the
President or Minister
151. Staff of the Assembly to make
proper account of monies and
properties in their charge
152. Financial interest in
District Assembly's contracts
153. Protection of members and
staff
154. Recovery of monies due by
way of deduction
155. Offences by bodies of
persons
156. Proof of acts of authority
157. Payment of allowances to
Assembly-members and staff
158. Regulations
159. Amendments of Schedules
160. Amendment of other
enactments
161. Departments to cease to
exist, staff transferred to local
government service
162. Interpretation
163. Repeals and savings
164. Coming into force of
sections 38 and 161.
SCHEDULES
First Schedule—Departments under
Metropolitan, Municipal and
District Assemblies
Second Schedule—Matters which may
be included in building bye-laws
Third Schedule—Notice under
subsection (2) of section 64
Fourth Schedule—Vehicle
Licences—Description of vehicles
Fifth Schedule—Entertainment
Licences
Sixth Schedule—Revenue of Local
Government bodies
Seventh Schedule—Enactments
amended
Eighth Schedule—Departments or
organisations ceasing to exist in
Districts.
THE FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SECOND
ACT OF THE PARLIAMENT OF THE
REPUBLIC OF GHANA
ENTITLED
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1993
AN ACT to establish and regulate
the local government system in
accordance with the Constitution
and to provide for other connected
purposes.
DATE OF ASSENT: 24TH DECEMBER,
1993
BE IT ENACTED BY PARLIAMENT as
follows—
PART I—DISTRICTS AND DISTRICT
ASSEMBLIES
Section 1—Creation of Districts.
(1) The districts in existence
immediately before the coming into
force of the 1992 Constitution
shall continue as districts for
the purposes of this Act.
(2) The President may by
executive instrument—
(a) declare any area within Ghana
to be a district;
(b) assign a name to the
district.
(3) The President shall in the
exercise of his powers under
sub-section (2) (a) direct the
Electoral Commission to make such
recommendations as it considers
appropriate for the purpose.
(4) The Electoral Commission shall
before making recommendations to
the President under sub-section
(3) consider factors including—
(a) in the case of—
(i)
a district that there is a minimum
population of seventy-five
thousand people;
(ii) a municipality, that the
geographical area consists of a
single compact settlement and that
there is a minimum of ninety-five
thousand people;
(iii) a metropolis, that there is
a minimum of two hundred and fifty
thousand people; and
(b) the geographical contiguity
and economic viability of the
area.
(5) In this section "economic
viability" means the ability of an
area to provide the basic
infrastructural and other
developmental needs from the
monetary and other resources
generated in the area.
Section 2—Responsibility of
Electoral Commission.
The Electoral Commission shall at
the request of the President
review areas of authority of unit
committees, town, area, zonal,
urban and sub-metropolitan
district councils and district,
municipal and metropolitan
assemblies and make such
recommendations as it considers
appropriate to the President.
Section 3—Establishment of
District Assemblies, Etc.
(1) The Minister shall by
legislative instrument establish
an Assembly for each district,
municipality and metropolis and
the Assembly shall constitute the
highest political authority in the
district.
(2) The instrument establishing a
District Assembly, shall specify—
(a) the name of the Assembly and
the area of authority of the
Assembly;
(b) the number of persons to be
elected to the Assembly and the
number of persons to be appointed
to the Assembly by the President;
(c) the jurisdiction, functions,
powers and responsibilities of the
Assembly;
(d) the place where the principal
offices of the Assembly are to be
situated; and
(e) such other matters as are
required by this Act to be
included in the instrument or are
consequential or ancillary to it.
(3) The Minister may by
legislative instrument and with
the prior approval of the Cabinet
establish—
(a) Sub-Metropolitan District
Councils;
(b) Urban or Zonal Councils;
(c) Town or Area Councils; and
(d) Unit committees, within the
area of authority of the District
Assembly.
(4) The instrument referred to in
subsection (3) of this section
shall specify—
(a) the jurisdiction, membership,
functions, powers and
responsibilities of the
Sub-Metropolitan District Council,
Urban or Zonal Council, Town or
Area Council or Unit Committee;
and
(b) such other matters connected
with the Sub-Metropolitan District
Council, Urban or Zonal Council,
Town or Area Council or Unit
Committee as may be considered
necessary.
Section 4—Incorporation of
District Assemblies.
(1) Each District Assembly shall
be a body corporate with perpetual
succession and a common seal and
may sue and be sued in its own
name.
(2) A District Assembly shall have
power for the discharge of any of
its functions to acquire and hold
movable or immovable property, to
dispose of such property and to
enter into any contract or other
transaction.
Section 5—Composition of District
Assemblies.
(1) A District Assembly shall
consist of the following members—
(a) the District Chief Executive;
(b) one person from each electoral
area within the District elected
by universal adult suffrage in
accordance with regulations made
for the purpose by the Electoral
Commission;
(c) the member or members of
Parliament from the constituencies
that fall within the area of
authority of the District
Assembly, except that such member
or members shall have no voting
rights; and
(d) other persons not exceeding 30
per cent of the total membership
of the Assembly appointed by the
President in consultation with the
traditional authorities and other
interest groups in the district.
(2) The members appointed under
paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of
this section may be re-appointed.
(3) Elections to the District
Assemblies shall be held once
every four years except that such
elections and elections to
Parliament shall be held at least
six months apart.
(4) A District Assembly may
conduct its business in English
and in any Ghanaian Language
common to the communities in the
District.
(5) The emoluments of the members
of the District Assembly shall
unless otherwise provided in this
Act, be determined by the District
Assembly and shall be paid out of
the resources of the Assembly.
Section 6—Qualifications and
Disqualifications of Members of
District Assemblies.
(1) A person qualifies to be
elected or appointed to a District
Assembly if he—
(a) is a citizen of Ghana of not
less than 18 years of age;
(b) is a registered voter;
(c) is ordinarily resident in the
District in which he seeks
election; and
(d) has paid all his taxes and
rates or made arrangements
satisfactory to the appropriate
authority for the payment of his
taxes and rates.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph
(c) of subsection (1) of this
section, a person shall be deemed
to be ordinarily resident in a
district if within the four years
prior to the holding of the
election or his appointment to the
District Assembly, he has lived in
the district for an aggregate
period of not less than twelve
months.
(3) A person shall not qualify to
be elected or appointed to a
District Assembly if he—
(a) is of unsound mind;
(b) has been sentenced to death or
imprisonment for an offence
involving fraud, dishonesty or
violence or has been convicted of
an offence relating to or
connected with elections under any
enactment in force in Ghana at the
time;
(c) is a person against whom
adverse findings have been made by
a competent authority and accepted
by Government or in respect of
whom an offer of reparation has
been made and accepted by the
Government;
(d) being a professional person,
he is disqualified from practising
his profession on grounds of
malpractice, fraud or dishonesty
by the competent professional
body; or
(e) is a person exempted from
payment of basic rate under
paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of
section 99 of this Act.
(4) Subsections (1) (c) and (2)
of this section shall not apply to
the District Chief Executive.
(5) Subject to subsection (3) of
this section, no person shall be
disqualified from being elected or
appointed to a District Assembly
by reason only of his status,
position, profession, religion,
creed, ethnic origin, race,
occupation, traditional standing,
gender or physical disability.
(6) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)
or (c) of subsection (3) of this
section, a person shall qualify to
be elected or appointed to a
District Assembly if ten years
have elapsed since the end of the
sentence or the acceptance of the
adverse findings, the offer of
reparation or if he has been
pardoned.
(7) No person shall at any one
time be a member of more than one
District Assembly.
Section 7—Mode of Seeking Election
to Assembly.
(1) A candidate seeking election
to a District Assembly or to any
lower local government unit shall
present himself to the electorate
as an individual, and shall not
use any symbol associated with a
political party.
(2) A political party shall not
endorse, sponsor, offer a platform
to or in any way campaign for or
against a candidate seeking
election to a District Assembly or
any lower local government unit.
(3) A candidate who contravenes
subsection (1) of this section
commits an offence and on
conviction shall have his
nomination cancelled by the
Electoral Commission.
(4) A political party which
contravenes subsection (2) of this
section commits an offence and is
liable on conviction to a fine not
exceeding five million cedis.
Section 8—Cessation of Office of
Members of District Assemblies.
(1) Subject to subsection (2) of
this section a person shall cease
to be a member of a District
Assembly—
(a) upon his death;
(b) upon revocation of his
original mandate but he shall be
disqualified from standing as a
candidate for only two terms
immediately following the
revocation;
(c) if by writing addressed to the
Presiding Member of the District
Assembly he resigns as a member;
(d) if he becomes disqualified
under any of the circumstances
specified in subsection (3) of
section 6 of this Act;
(e) if he fails to disclose any
financial interest he may have in
a contract which is before the
Assembly for consideration; or
(f) if he absents himself from
more than three consecutive
ordinary meetings of the Assembly
without the written permission of
the Presiding Member of the
Assembly.
(2) The Assembly shall, upon a
complaint made to it that a member
of the Assembly is disqualified
under sub-paragraph (d), (e) or
(f) of subsection (1) of this
section, appoint an ad-hoc
sub-committee to investigate the
complaint.
(3) The ad-hoc sub-committee
shall consist of such members of
the Assembly as it may determine.
(4) The ad-hoc sub-committee
shall submit a report on its
finding to the Assembly.
(5) Where the Assembly, after
studying the report is satisfied
that a member is affected by
sub-paragraph (d), (e) or (f) it
shall by resolution decide that
the member shall cease to be a
member of the Assembly.
(6) A member of the Assembly who
is aggrieved by a decision of the
Assembly that he should cease to
be a member of that Assembly may
have recourse to a court of law.
Section 9—Revocation of Mandate
of Member of District Assembly.
(1) Subject to this section, the
mandate of an elected member of a
District Assembly may be revoked
by the electorate.
(2) For the purpose of revoking
the mandate of an elected member
of a District Assembly,
twenty-five per cent or more of
the registered voters in the
electoral area may petition the
Electoral Commission for the
member's recall from the Assembly.
(3) On receipt of the petition
referred to in subsection (2) of
this section, the Electoral
Commission shall organise a
referendum to decide the issue
whether or not such member must be
recalled.
(4) The issue at the referendum
shall be decided if at least—
(a) forty per cent of the
registered voters in the electoral
area vote on the issue; and
(b) 60 per cent of the votes cast
are in favour of the recall of the
member.
(5) Where an elected member of a
District Assembly is recalled, a
by-election shall be held to elect
another person to replace him;
except that where the recall is
done within six months before the
end of the tenure of office of the
elected member, no by-election
shall be held.
(6) The appointment of an
appointed member of a District
Assembly may be revoked by the
President—
(a) in the exercise of his
discretion;
(b) upon the recommendation of
three-fourths of the members of
the District Assembly on grounds
that the member has—
(i)
systematically neglected his
duties; or
(ii) committed acts incompatible
with his office as a member of the
District Assembly for which
sufficient evidence is available;
or
(c) upon a complaint made of wrong
doing or improper conduct which is
established to be true after
investigation by an ad-hoc
committee of the District
Assembly.
(7) Where the appointment of an
appointed member of a District
Assembly is revoked, another
person may be appointed in his
place.
(8) Where a person is appointed
under subsection (7) of this
section he shall serve the
remainder of the term of the
member whose appointment has been
revoked, and may be re-appointed.
Section 10—Functions of District
Assemblies.
(1) Subject to this Act, a
District Assembly shall exercise
political and administrative
authority in the District, provide
guidance, give direction to, and
supervise all other administrative
authorities in the district.
(2) For the purpose of subsection
(1) of this section, a District
Assembly shall exercise
deliberative, legislative and
executive functions.
(3) Without prejudice to
subsections (1) and (2) of this
section, a District Assembly
shall—
(a) be responsible for the overall
development of the district and
shall ensure the preparation and
submission through the Regional
Co-ordinating Council—
(i)
of development plans of the
district to the Commission for
approval; and
(ii) of the budget of the district
related to the approved plans to
the Minister for Finance for
approval;
(b) formulate and execute plans,
programmes and strategies for the
effective mobilization of the
resources necessary for the
overall development of the
district;
(c) promote and support productive
activity and social development in
the district and remove any
obstacles to initiative and
development;
(d) initiate programmes for the
development of basic
infrastructure and provide
municipal works and services in
the district;
(e) be responsible for the
development, improvement and
management of human settlements
and the environment in the
district;
(f) in co-operation with the
appropriate national and local
security agencies be responsible
for the maintenance of security
and public safety in the district;
(g) ensure ready access to courts
in the district for the promotion
of justice;
(h) initiate, sponsor or carry out
such studies as may be necessary
for the discharge of any of the
functions conferred by this Act or
any other enactment; and
(i)
perform such other functions as
may be provided under any other
enactment.
(4) Subject to this Act and to
Government policy it shall be the
responsibility of a District
Assembly to take such steps and
measures as are necessary and
expedient to—
(a) execute approved development
plans for the district;
(b) guide, encourage and support
sub-district local government
bodies, public agencies and local
communities to perform their rules
in the execution of approved
development plans;
(c) initiate and encourage joint
participation with other persons
or bodies to execute approved
development plans;
(d) promote or encourage other
persons or bodies to undertake
projects under approved
development plans; and
(e) monitor the execution of
projects under approved
development plans and assess and
evaluate their impact on the
people’s development, the local,
district and national economy.
(5) A District Assembly shall
co-ordinate, integrate and
harmonize the execution of
programmes and projects under
approved development plans for the
district and other development
programmes promoted or carried out
by Ministries, Departments, public
corporations and other statutory
bodies and non-governmental
organisations in the district.
(6) Without prejudice to
subsection (5) of this section, a
District Assembly shall in the
discharge of its functions—
(a) be subject to the general
guidance and direction of the
President on matters of national
policy; and
(b) act in co-operation with the
appropriate public corporation,
statutory body or non-governmental
organisation.
(7) It shall be the duty of such
public corporation, statutory body
or organisation to co-operate with
a District Assembly.
(8) In the event of a conflict
between a District Assembly and an
agency of the central Government,
public corporation, statutory
body, non-governmental
organisation or individual over
the application of subsection (5)
or (6) of this section, the matter
shall be referred by either of the
parties or both to the Regional
Co-ordinating Council for
resolution.
Section 11—District Assemblies to
Approve Budgets.
Subject to section 10 (3) (a) of
this Act, a District Assembly
shall be responsible for the
preparation and approval of its
annual budget.
Section 12—Planning and Other
Functions of District Assemblies.
(1) District Assemblies as
planning authorities shall perform
planning functions assigned to
them under any enactment for the
time being in force.
(2) The instrument establishing a
particular District Assembly may
confer additional functions upon
the Assembly and may provide for
the relationship between that
Assembly and the Regional
Co-ordinating Council.
Section 13—Functions under other
Enactments.
(1) A District Assembly shall
within its district be the
authority for carrying and
executing the provisions of—
(a) Registration of Births and
Deaths Act, 1965 (Act 301);
(b) the Auction Sales Law, 1989 (P.N.D.C.L.
230);
(c) sections 296 and 300 of the
Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29);
(d) the Liquor Licensing Act, 1970
(Act 331);
(e) Control and Prevention of
Bushfires Law, 1990 (P.N.D.C.L.
229);
(f) National Weekly Lotto
(Amendment) Law, 1989 (P.N.D.C.L.
223); and
(g) Trees and Timber (Chain Saw
Operators) Regulations, 1991 (L.I.
1518).
(2) For the purposes of subsection
(1) of this section, the District
Assembly shall have, within the
district, all the powers, rights,
duties, capacities, liabilities
and obligations of a person or
authority mentioned in the
enactment except the powers of a
court or the Commissioner for
Customs, Excise and Preventive
Service.
(3) For the purpose of section 296
of the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act
29) as applied by this section,
the reference to the
Engineer-in-Chief of Public Works
shall include an Engineer
appointed in writing by the
District Assembly.
(4) For the purpose of section 300
of the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act
29) as applied by this section,
the District Finance Officer or
other similar officer of the
Assembly howsoever called shall be
deemed to be the Controller and
Accountant-General or his
representative.
(5) For the purposes of the Liquor
Licensing Act, 1970 (Act 331) as
applied by this section, the
District Finance Officer or such
other officer of the Assembly
shall be the Licensing Authority.
(6) Nothing contained in this
section shall operate to derogate
from the statutory or other
functions of the police, whether
exercisable under the enactments
mentioned in this section or
otherwise and accordingly, any
person or authority exercising any
function by virtue of this section
being a function which by virtue
of this subsection or any other
enactment is also exercisable by
the police shall in the exercise
of that function act in
consultation with the police.
Section 14—Health Officers of
District Assemblies.
Any person who discharges the
duties of a Medical Officer or
Sanitary Inspector under the
Infectious Diseases Ordinance
(Cap. 78) for any area shall be an
officer of the Assembly of that
area for the purpose of giving
effect to and enforcing bye-laws
relating to public health made by
the District Assembly.
Section 15—District Assemblies to
Delegate Functions.
(1) Subject to this Act, a
District Assembly may as
appropriate, delegate any of its
functions to such sub-Metropolitan
District Council, Town, Area,
Zonal or Urban Council or Unit
Committee or such other body or
person as it may determine.
(2) Nothing in subsection (1) of
this section permits the
delegation to any Sub-Metropolitan
District Council, Town, Area,
Zonal or Urban Council, Unit
committee, body or person the
power of a District Assembly to
legislate, levy rates or borrow
money.
Section 16—Duties of Members of
Assembly.
(1) A member of a District
Assembly shall as appropriate—
(a) maintain close contact with
his electoral area, consult his
people on issues to be discussed
in the District Assembly, and
collate their views, opinions, and
proposals;
(b) present the views, opinions
and proposals to the District
Assembly;
(c) attend meetings of the
District Assembly and meetings of
sub-committees of which he is a
member;
(d) meet his electorate before
each meeting of the Assembly;
(e) report to his electorate the
general decisions of the Assembly
and its Executive Committee and
the actions he has taken to solve
problems raised by residents in
his electoral area;
(f) draw attention in general
debate to national policies which
are relevant to the subject under
discussion;
(g) actively participate in the
work of the sub-committees of the
Executive Committee;
(h) bring to bear on any
discussion in the Assembly the
benefit of his skill, profession,
experience or specialized
knowledge;
(i)
maintain frequent liaison with
organised productive economic
groupings and other persons in the
District; and
(j) take part in communal and
development activities in the
district.
(2) A member of a District
Assembly shall in the discharge of
his duties under this Act have due
regard to the national interest
and the interest of the people in
the district.
Section 17—Presiding Member of
District Assembly.
(1) There shall be a Presiding
Member of each District Assembly
who shall be elected by the
Assembly from among its members.
(2) The Presiding Member shall be
neither the District Chief
Executive nor a member of
Parliament.
(3) The Presiding Member shall be
elected by at least two-thirds
majority of all the members of the
Assembly.
(4) Subject to subsection (6), the
Presiding Member shall hold office
for a term of two years and shall
be eligible for re-election.
(5) The Presiding Member shall
convene and preside over the
meetings of the Assembly and
perform such other functions as
may be prescribed by law.
(6) The Presiding Member shall
cease to hold office whenever the
Assembly by a majority of at least
two-thirds of all the members of
the Assembly vote to remove him
from office.
(7) The emoluments of a Presiding
Member of a District Assembly
shall be determined by the
District Assembly and paid out of
the Assembly's own resources.
Section 18—Meetings of District
Assemblies.
(1) A District Assembly shall
meet at least three times in a
year.
(2) Matters for decision by the
Assembly shall be determined by
the votes of the majority.
(3) In the event of equality of
votes the Presiding Member shall
have a casting vote.
(4) The validity of proceedings of
a District Assembly shall not be
affected by a vacancy among its
members or by a defect in the
appointment or qualification of a
member.
(5) A District Assembly may at
any time summon any public officer
in the district to attend any of
its meetings to provide any
information or assistance as the
Assembly may require.
(6) The Minister shall make model
standing orders for the conduct
and proceedings of District
Assemblies.
Section 19—Executive Committee of
District Assemblies.
(1) There shall be established an
Executive Committee of a District
Assembly which shall be
responsible for the performance of
the executive and administrative
functions of the District
Assembly.
(2) An Executive Committee shall
consist of not more than one-third
of the total number of the members
of the Assembly elected by the
members from among themselves;
except that the Presiding Member
of the Assembly shall not be a
member of the Executive Committee.
Section 20—District Chief
Executive.
(1) There shall be a District
Chief Executive for each district
who shall be appointed by the
President with the prior approval
of not less than two-thirds
majority of the members of the
District Assembly present and
voting at the meeting.
(2) The District Chief Executive
shall be the chairman of the
Executive Committee of the
District Assembly.
(3) The District Chief Executive
shall—
(a) preside at meetings of the
Executive Committee of the
District Assembly and in his
absence a member of the Executive
Committee elected by the members
present from among themselves
shall preside;
(b) be responsible for the
day-to-day performance of the
executive and administrative
functions of the Assembly;
(c) be responsible for the
supervision of the departments of
the Assembly; and
(d) be the chief representative of
the central Government in the
district,.
(4) The office of the District
Chief Executive shall become
vacant if—
(a) a vote of no confidence,
supported by the votes of not less
than two-thirds of all the members
of the District Assembly, is
passed against him; or
(b) he is removed from office by
the President; or
(c) he resigns or dies.
(5) Subject to subsection (4) of
this section, the term of office
of a District Chief Executive
shall be four years.
(6) A person shall not hold office
as a District Chief Executive for
more than two terms in succession.
(7) The emoluments of a District
Chief Executive shall be charged
on the Consolidated Fund and shall
be determined by a committee under
article 71 of the Constitution.
Section 21—Functions of the
Executive Committee.
(1) Subject to this Act, the
Executive Committee of a District
Assembly shall exercise the
executive and co-ordinating
functions of the District
Assembly.
(2) Without prejudice to
subsection (1) of this section, an
Executive Committee shall—
(a) co-ordinate plans and
programmes of the sub-committees
and submit these as comprehensive
plans of action to the District
Assembly;
(b) implement resolutions of the
District Assembly;
(c) oversee the administration of
the district in collaboration with
the office of the District Chief
Executive;
(d) recommend, where it considers
necessary, in the case of
departments outside the
supervision of the Assembly which
are in the district, to the
appropriate government Ministry,
Department or Agency the
appointment and replacement on
stated grounds of officers within
the area of authority of the
District Assembly;
(e) develop and execute approved
plans of the units, area and towns
and sub-metropolitan districts as
the case may be, within the area
of authority of the District
Assembly;
(f) recommend to the District
Assembly—
(i)
the economic, social, spatial and
human settlement policies relating
to the development of the
district;
(ii) harmonization of the
development policies of the
district with national development
policies;
(iii) the integration and
co-ordination of the processes of
planning, programming, budgeting
and implementation;
(iv) initiation and implementation
of development programmes and
projects at the district level;
and
(v) the monitoring and evaluation
of all policies, programmes and
projects.
(3) An Executive Committee shall
in between sessions of a District
Assembly carry out the functions
of the District Assembly other
than the Assembly's legislative
functions.
Section 22—Meetings of Executive
Committee.
(1) An Executive Committee may
co-opt any person to attend any of
its meetings, but a person so
co-opted shall not have a right to
vote.
(2) An Executive Committee may
conduct its business in English
and in any Ghanaian Language
common to the communities in the
district.
(3) The validity of the
proceedings of the Executive
Committee shall not be affected by
a vacancy among its members or by
a defect in the appointment or
qualification of a member.
(4) Subject to the provisions of
this section, an Executive
Committee shall regulate the
procedures for its meetings in
accordance with the standing
orders of the Assembly.
Section 23—Dissolution of
Executive Committee.
(1) Where a District Assembly is
satisfied that an Executive
Committee is not performing
efficiently the functions assigned
to it under this Act, the Assembly
may by resolution of two-thirds of
the members dissolve the Executive
Committee and elect another.
(2) For the purposes of subsection
(1) of this section, an Executive
Committee shall be deemed not to
have performed its functions
efficiently if its actions or
omissions—
(a) bring or are likely to bring
the District Assembly into
disrepute, ridicule, hatred or
contempt; or
(b) are prejudicial or inimical to
the economic, social or political
development of the District or to
the national interest.
(3) The dissolution of an
Executive Committee of an Assembly
shall not operate as a revocation
of the appointment of the District
Chief Executive.
Section 24—Sub-committees of
Executive Committee.
(1) Each Executive Committee shall
have the following sub-committees—
(a) Development Planning
Sub-Committee;
(b) Social Services Sub-Committee
(c) Works Sub-Committee;
(d) Justice and Security
Sub-Committee;
(e) Finance and Administration
Sub-Committee; and
(f) Such other sub-committees as
the District Assembly may
determine.
(2) Each sub-committee shall
consist of such members of the
District Assembly as shall be
determined by the Assembly; except
that each member of the District
Assembly other than the Presiding
Member shall serve on at least one
sub-committee during that member’s
tenure of office.
(3) Heads of Departments of the
District Assembly shall attend the
meetings of the sub-committees and
shall advise them on the execution
of their functions, but shall not
have a right to vote.
(4) A sub-committee may co-opt any
other person to attend any of its
meetings but a person so co-opted
shall not have a right to vote.
(5) A sub-committee shall regulate
the procedure for its meeting in
accordance with the standing
orders of the Assembly.
(6) A District Assembly may by
resolution dissolve and
reconstitute any sub-committee
which in its opinion is not
performing its functions
efficiently.
Section 25—Functions of
Sub-committees.
(1) Every sub-committee shall be
responsible for collating and
deliberating on issues relevant to
it as the District Assembly may
direct, for the purpose of
assisting the District Assembly in
its deliberative, executive and
legislative functions.
(2) A subcommittee shall submit
its recommendations to the
Executive Committee of the
Assembly.
Section 26—Instrument of
Establishment of Metropolitan
Assemblies.
(1) The provisions of sections 21
to 25 of this Act shall not apply
to Metropolitan Assemblies,
(2) Legislative instrument
establishing a Metropolitan
Assembly shall specify appropriate
and relevant provisions of this
Act applicable to it.
Section 27—Establishment of
Public Relations and Complaints
Committee.
(1) Every District Assembly shall
have a Public Relations and
Complaints Committee the chairman
of which shall be the Presiding
Member of the Assembly.
(2) A Public Relations and
Complaints Committee shall—
(a) receive complaints made
against the conduct of members and
staff of the Assembly from the
Public and make recommendations to
the Assembly; and
(b) perform any other functions
that the Assembly may determine.
Section 28—District Chief
Executive to Address Assembly.
(1) The District Chief Executive
may address the District Assembly
in session on policies determined
by the President.
(2) The District Chief Executive
shall—
(a) present a report on the
performance of the functions of
the Executive Committee to the
District Assembly at the beginning
of each session; and
(b) submit the recommendations of
the District Assembly on matters
of national concern to the
President, the Minister and the
Regional Co-ordinating Council at
the end of each session.
Section 29—Other Appointees of
President to Address Assembly.
Without prejudice to subsection
(2) of section 28 of this Act,
Ministers of state and other
appointees of the President may
address District Assembly at their
own request or at the invitation
of the Assembly or on the
directives of the President, on
matters relating to their sectors
or functions.
Section 30—District Assemblies to
Provide Transport Services.
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions
of any enactment to the contrary,
the Minister may authorise a
District Assembly to provide
omnibus transport services.
(2) The Minister shall, before
giving the authorisation, satisfy
himself that the provision of the
omnibus transport services will be
economically viable.
Section 31—Provision of Offices,
Etc. By District Assemblies.
A
District Assembly may—
(a) build, acquire, provide, hire
and furnish buildings within its
administrative area;
(b) combine with any other
District Assembly for the purpose
of building, acquiring, providing,
hiring and furnishing any building
within or outside its
administrative area; or
(c) contribute towards the expense
incurred by any other District
Assembly in building, acquiring,
providing, hiring and furnishing
any building within or outside the
administrative area, to be used
for the purpose of transacting the
business of the District Assembly
and for public meetings and
assemblies.
Section 32—Joint Committees of
District Assemblies.
(1) A District Assembly may in
agreement with any one or more
District Assemblies appoint a
joint committee for any project in
which they are jointly interested
and may delegate to the committee
any functions of the District
Assembly relating to the project
for which the committee is
appointed.
(2) A joint committee appointed
under this section may be
authorised to co-opt additional
members.
(3) Nothing in subsection (1) of
this section permits the
delegation to any such joint
committee of the power of a
District Assembly to approve
bye-laws, draw up annual
estimates, levy rates, or borrow
money.
(4) Subject to this Act, a
District Assembly appointing or
agreeing with another Assembly in
appointing a committee may make,
vary or revoke any of its
regulations relating to the
quorum, proceedings and place of
meetings.
(5) Subject to any such
regulations, the quorum,
proceedings and place of meeting
shall be such as the committee or
joint committee may determine.
(6) Every committee appointed
under this section shall unless
otherwise directed, report its
proceedings to the District
Assembly or Assemblies concerned
through the Executive Committee
and decisions of the Executive
Committee shall be subject to the
approval of the District Assembly
or Assemblies.
Section 33—Joint Commercial
Activity.
Subject to the approval of the
Minister, a District Assembly may
join any other District Assembly
in the carrying out of any
commercial activity that falls
within the scope of their
respective functions and may
determine as between themselves
the allocation of the cost or
benefits in respect of that
activity.
Section 34—Power to Charge Fees.
Subject to such guidelines in
respect of the charging of fees as
may be prescribed by the Minister
by legislative instrument, a
District Assembly may charge fees
for any service or facility
provided by the Assembly or for
any licence or permit issued by or
on behalf of the Assembly.
Section 35—Writing Off of
Irrecoverable Arrears of Revenue.
(1) Subject to subsection (2) of
this section, a District Assembly
may write off as irrecoverable
debt, in any one year, any sum due
or payable to the District
Assembly from or by any person for
any sufficient cause where the sum
due and payable to the Assembly
does not exceed ¢100,000.00.
(2) A District Assembly shall
inform the Minister in writing of
the total sum written off and the
reasons for doing so.
Section 36—District Co-Ordinating
Director.
(1) There shall be a District
Co-ordinating Director for each
District in Ghana who shall be the
Secretary to the Assembly and the
head of the District Co-ordinating
Directorate.
(2) The District Co-ordinating
Director shall be a member of the
Local Government Service.
Section 37—Local Government
Service.
(1) There shall be established by
Act of Parliament a Local
Government Service which shall
form part of the public services
of Ghana.
(2) A District Assembly shall have
such staff as may be necessary for
the proper and efficient
performance of its functions.
Section 38—District Assemblies to
Establish Departments.
(1) Each District Assembly shall
in the discharge of its functions
establish the departments
specified in the First Schedule to
this Act in relation to that
Assembly.
(2) The Minister may with the
prior approval of the President
amend the First Schedule to this
Act.
(3) Each District Assembly shall
be responsible for the
preparation, administration and
control of budgetary allocations
of the departments specified in
the First Schedule to this Act.
Section 39—District Tender
Boards.
(1) Every District Assembly shall
have a District Tender Board which
shall advise the Assembly on the
award of contracts in the District
that—
(a) are to be financed exclusively
from the resources of the
Assembly; or
(b) have been approved by
Government and are not in excess
of such limits as shall be
determined by the Minister for
Finance.
(2) The District Tender Board
shall comprise of such persons as
the Minister shall by legislative
instrument determine.
(3) A person appointed as a member
of a District Tender Board shall
within three months after the
appointment declare his assets to
the Auditor-General.
(4) The Minister shall by
legislative instrument prescribe
the procedure for the business of
District Tender Boards.
Section 40—Assemblies Power to
Insure.
A
District Assembly may—
(a) insure all or any of its
property against risks of any
kind; and
(b) insure a third party against
injury or damage resulting from
any act or omission by a member of
staff of the Assembly in the
performance of his duties.
Section 41—Ancillary Powers of
District Assemblies.
(1) A District Assembly may—
(a) for a purpose reasonably
connected with its functions cause
the entry into any land, premises
or place at a reasonable hour by a
person authorised in writing by
the District Chief Executive;
(b) request any person in writing
to furnish to it information
reasonably necessary for the
discharge of its functions;
(c) give such directions to any
person as may be reasonably
necessary for the discharge of its
functions.
(2) A person who—
(a) wilfully obstructs an officer
of a District Assembly in the
carrying out of the functions of
the District Assembly specified in
subsection (1) of this section;
(b) fails without reasonable
excuse (proof of which shall be on
him) to furnish information
requested from him under this
section; or
(c) gives information in response
to a request made under this
section which he knows to be
false, or which he has no
reasonable ground to believe to be
true, commits an offence and shall
on conviction be liable to a fine
not exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months or to both,
and in the case of a continuing
offence to a further fine not
exceeding ¢2,000.00 for each day
on which the offence continues.
Section 42—Investigation by
President.
The President may cause to be
investigated the performance of
any function by a District
Assembly under this or any other
enactment or any other matter
which is likely to affect the
discipline of the District
Assembly and give directions as
appropriate.
Section 43—Power to Enforce
Functions of Assemblies.
(1) In the exercise of his powers
under section 42 of this Act, the
President may, where it is
necessary in the public interest
by executive instrument, declare a
District Assembly to be in default
and may by the same or another
executive instrument—
(a) direct the District Assembly
for the purpose of removing the
default, to perform such of its
functions in such manner and
within such time or times as may
be specified in the executive
instrument; or
(b) transfer to a person or body
as he may think fit such of the
functions of the District Assembly
in default as may be specified in
the executive instrument to be
performed on behalf of and in the
name of the defaulting District
Assembly.
(2) Where an instrument has been
made under paragraph (b) of
subsection (1) of this section,
the President may by the same or
another instrument, dissolve or
suspend the District Assembly
concerned for such time as he may
think fit or prohibit it from the
performance of such of the
functions of the District Assembly
as may be specified in the
executive instrument.
Section 44—Expenses in Respect of
Transferred Functions.
Where any functions of a District
Assembly are transferred to any
person or body under section 43 of
this Act, the expenses incurred by
the person or body in discharging
those functions shall be a debt
due from the District Assembly
concerned to the person or body as
the case may be.
Section 45—Assemblies to Make
Contributions to Association.
(1) Every District Assembly shall
make such contribution to the
National Association of Local
Authorities of Ghana as the
Association may from time to time
determine.
(2) The contribution made under
sub-section (1) shall be in
respect of any expenditure
incurred by the Association in
undertaking its business and the
holding of its meetings.
PART II—PLANNING FUNCTIONS OF
DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES
Section 46—Establishment of
District Planning Authority and
its Functions.
(1) For the purposes of national
development planning, each
District Assembly is by this Act
established as the Planning
Authority for its area of
authority.
(2) The District Assembly as the
Planning Authority for the
district shall perform any
planning functions conferred on it
by any enactment for the time
being in force.
(3) For the purpose of subsection
(2) of this section there shall be
established for each District
Assembly a District Planning
Co-ordinating Unit.
(4) A District Planning
Co-ordinating Unit shall comprise
such professional staff as the
District Planning Authority shall
in consultation with the
Commission direct.
Section 47—District Development
Plans.
(1) The National Development
Planning Commission shall
prescribe the format of district
development plans.
(2) Subject to subsection (1) of
this section, all proposed
district development plans shall
be submitted through the Regional
Co-ordinating Council to the
National Development Planning
Commission for approval.
(3) A District Assembly may with
the prior written approval of the
Commission make modifications to
an approved district development
plans
Section 48—Compliance with
District Development Plans.
An approved district development
plan shall be complied with by any
person, body or organ in the
district responsible for or
connected with the implementation
of the plans.
Section 49—Permit to Carry out
Physical Development.
(1) No physical development shall
be carried out in a district
without prior approval in the form
of written permit granted by the
District Planning Authority.
(2) The procedure and manner for
securing a permit under
sub-section (1) of this section
shall be prescribed by
regulations.
(3) Subject to sub-section (4) of
this section a District Planning
Authority may prior to the
adoption of an approved district
development plan for the District
approve an application for
physical development in the
district.
(4) In determining an application
for a permit to develop prior to
the adoption of an approved
district development plan, the
District Planning Authority shall
consult such public agencies and
local communities as may be
prescribed by regulations.
Section 50—Development Charges.
(1) A development charge may be
levied in respect of a planning
permit granted for the carrying
out of physical development,
except that there shall be no
charge in respect of a permit for
the change of use of an existing
building.
(2) Development charges shall be
utilised for the provision of
infrastructure and services.
(3) Development charges shall be
rated by, payable to and collected
by the District Planning Authority
to the exclusion of any other
body, except in the case of land
estates where other specific
bodies take responsibility for
providing infrastructure and
services.
Section 51—Development Permit to
be Conditional or Unconditional.
(1) A District Planning Authority
may grant a permit for development
conditionally or unconditionally
or may refuse to grant the permit,
except that where a permit is
refused or granted conditionally
reasons shall be given in writing
in each case.
(2) A District Planning Authority
may revoke a permit to develop or
impose additional conditions to a
permit already granted, except
that any revocation or
modification shall be subject to
the payment, on receipt of a
claim, of such compensation as the
District Planning Authority may
determine.
(3) Subject to this Act, and any
action, programme or project plan
or unless the proposed activity
obstructs or interferes with
community right of space, the
following activities shall not
require prior permit from a
District Planning Authority—
(a) subsistence farming;
(b) farming and other activities
carried on in any settlement of a
population of not more than 5,000;
and
(c) small-scale vegetable and
flower gardening.
(4) Nothing in this section shall
preclude the members of the
immediate local community from
regulating any of the activities
specified in sub-section (3) of
this section in their community.
(5) Regulations may prescribe
other activities that may be
carried out without permit.
Section 52—Enforcement in Respect
of Unauthorised Development
(1) Where—
(a) physical development has been
or is being carried out without a
permit contrary to this Act; or
(b) conditions incorporated in a
permit are not complied with, a
District Planning Authority may
give written notice in such form
as may be prescribed by
regulations to the owner of the
land requiring him on or before a
date specified in the notice to
show cause in writing addressed to
the District Planning Authority
why the unauthorised development
should not be prohibited, altered,
abated, removed or demolished.
(2) If the owner of the land fails
to show sufficient cause why the
development should not be
prohibited, altered, abated,
removed or demolished, the
District Planning Authority may
carry out the prohibition,
abatement, alteration, removal or
demolition and recover any
expenses incurred from the owner
of the land as if it were a debt
due to the District Planning
Authority.
(3) Nothing in this section shall
preclude a District Planning
Authority from issuing an
enforcement notice demanding the
immediate stoppage of the
execution of any work carried out
contrary to this Act or to the
terms of an approved development
plan.
(4) Any person who fails to comply
with a notice issued under
subsection (3) of this section
commits an offence and is liable
on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to a term
of imprisonment not exceeding six
months or to both and in the case
of a continuing offence to a
further fine not exceeding
¢2,000.00 for each day that the
contravention continues after
written notice has been served on
the offender.
Section 53—Enforcement in Respect
of Execution of District Plans.
(1) A District Planning Authority
may, for the purpose of enforcing
an approved development plan—
(a) prohibit, abate, remove, pull
down or alter so as to bring into
conformity with the provisions of
the approved plan, any physical
development which does not conform
to those provisions, or the
abatement, removal, demolition or
alteration of which is necessary
for the implementation of an
approved plan;
(b) prohibit the use of any land
or building for a purpose or in a
manner contrary to any provisions
of an approved plan; or
(c) execute any work which is the
duty of any person to execute
under an approved plan, where
delay in the execution of the work
has occurred and the efficient
operation of the approved plan has
been or will be thereby
prejudiced.
(2) Before taking action under
this section, the District
Planning Authority shall serve
notice in a form prescribed by
regulations on the owner of the
land in respect of which the
action is proposed to be taken and
on any other person who in its
opinion may be affected by it,
specifying the nature of and the
grounds upon which it proposes to
take the action.
Section 54—Enforcement Against
Nuisance.
(1) Where substantial injury to
the environment, amenity, public
health or the economy is caused by
any nuisance or is likely to
result from the action or inaction
of any person, a District Planning
Authority may serve notice in a
form prescribed in regulations on
the person requiring him to abate
the nuisance within such time as
may be specified in the notice.
(2) A notice served under
sub-section (1) of this section
shall specify the nuisance and the
steps required to be taken to
abate the nuisance.
(3) Where a notice issued under
this section is not complied with,
a District Planning Authority may
carry out the abatement and
recover the costs from the person
causing the nuisance or the owner
of the land where the nuisance is
occurring as if it were a debt due
from the person to the District
Planning Authority.
Section 55—Enforcement Against
Unauthorised Development in
Respect of Community Right of
Space.
A
District Planning Authority may
without prior notice, effect or
carry out instant prohibition,
abatement, alteration, removal or
demolition of any unauthorised
development carried out or being
carried out that encroaches or
will encroach upon a community
right of space, or interferes or
will interfere with the use of
such space.
Section 56—Claims for
Compensation.
(1) Subject to this Act a person—
(a) whose property is adversely
affected by the coming into
operation or the execution of an
approved development plan; or
(b) who for the purpose of
complying with an approved
development plan incurs
expenditure to his detriment—
(i)
by a subsequent revocation or
modification of the plan; or
(ii) by a subsequent revocation or
variation of a development permit
granted him by a District Planning
Authority; or
(c) who is aggrieved by any
decision, action or policy
relating to an approved
development plan or the
enforcement of it, may within six
months after the date of the
approval of the plans or of the
revocation or variation of a
permit or of the taking of the
decision or action complained of,
lodge a claim for redress or
compensation with the District
Planning Authority.
Section 57—Appeals.
(1) Any person aggrieved by a
decision or action of a District
Planning Authority under this Part
may within six months after
receipt of the notice of the
decision or action appeal to the
Regional Minister who may refer
the appeal to the Appeals Advisory
Board established under section 58
of this Act.
(2) Where the Regional Minister
does not refer the appeal to the
Appeals Advisory Board under
sub-section (1) of this section,
he may affirm, reverse or modify
the decision or action of the
District Planning Authority.
(3) The decision of the Regional
Minister under sub-section (2) of
this section shall be final as to
matters of fact and good planning.
Section 58—Appeals Advisory
Boards.
(1) There shall be appointed by
the Regional Minister such Appeals
Advisory Boards as the Regional
Minister may determine.
(2) An Appeals Advisory Board
appointed by the Regional Minister
shall comprise the following—
(a) a lawyer;
(b) one person with expert
knowledge of the subject matter of
the appeal; and
(c) one person with local
knowledge of the subject matter of
the appeal.
(3) The membership of an Appeals
Advisory Board shall terminate on
the determination of any appeal
referred to the Board for advice.
Section 59—Functions of Appeals
Advisory Board.
(1) The Appeals Advisory Board
shall advise the Minister on the
relief or redress sought in the
appeal or on the amount of
compensation payable in respect of
any appeal referred to it by the
Minister.
(2) Recommendations for settlement
of claims of compensation in
respect of land and immovable
property shall be made in
consultation with the body for the
time being charged with valuation
of public land.
Section 60—Recovery of Betterment.
(1) Where the provision of a plan
or the execution of public works,
or a decision or action of a
District Planning Authority
increases the value of any land
within the district, the District
Planning Authority shall on the
advice of the body for the time
being charged with valuation of
public land, recover from any
person whose land is increased in
value, where that person sells or
otherwise disposes of the land, a
determinable percentage of the
amount of the increase.
(2) Financial gains on urban land
transactions shall be liable to
betterment charges.
(3) Any sum recoverable under this
section may be set off against a
claim of compensation.
(4) Recovered amounts under this
section shall be utilised for the
provision of infrastructure and
utility services.
Section 61—Non-Conforming Land
Allocations And Transactions.
(1) An allocation of land shall be
null and void if the purpose or
use for which the allocation is
made is contrary to the provisions
of an approved development plan;
and in particular, no landowner
shall sub-divide or allocate any
land for use, development or
occupation in a town or city or
the suburb of it or in any where
there is an approved planning
scheme prepared under an enactment
in force, except with the
concurrence of the District
Planning Authority or a
sub-district body acting on behalf
of the District Planning
Authority.
(2) A person who allocates,
transfers, sells or develops land
for a use or a purpose that is
contrary to an approved
development plan, settlement
structure plan, action plan or
programme commits an offence and
is liable on conviction to a fine
not exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a period not
exceeding six months or to both.
(3) On an application, an approved
development plan may be revised in
accordance with regulations to
accommodate an otherwise
non-conforming allocation
proposal, if the District Planning
Authority is satisfied that such
accommodation or revision is in
the public interest.
Section 62—Building Bye-Laws.
(1) Subject to section 63 of this
Act, a District Planning Authority
may make building bye-laws within
the scope of national building
practices prescribed by law and
shall in particular make
provisions for—
(a) the control of the
construction of buildings,
streets, boardings, fences and
signboards;
(b) the execution of work on and
in relation to existing buildings,
structures and streets;
(c) drainage and sanitation;
(d) the removal or abatement of
obstructions and nuisance; and
(e) matters referred for the
guidance of District Planning
Authorities in the Second Schedule
to this Act.
(2) The bye-laws may be made with
respect to the district generally
or with respect to particular
areas, buildings or works in the
district.
Section 63—National Building
Regulations.
The Minister responsible for Works
and Housing may in consultation
with the Minister by legislative
instrument prescribe national
building regulations which shall
be complied with by District
Assemblies in making building
bye-laws for the districts.
Section 64—Building Permits and
Unauthorised Buildings.
(1) Every person shall, before
constructing a building or other
structure or undertaking any work,
obtain a permit from the District
Planning Authority which shall
contain such conditions as the
District Planning Authority may
consider necessary.
(2) The District Planning
Authority may give notice in
writing in the form prescribed in
the Third Schedule to an owner,
occupier or developer of premises,
if the owner, occupier or
developer—
(a) is constructing a building or
other structure;
(b) has constructed a building or
other structure; or
(c) is working or executing work
without a permit or in
contravention of any bye-laws made
by the District Assembly.
(3) The notice under sub-section
(2) of this section shall require
the owner, occupier or developer
on or before a day to be specified
in the notice by a statement in
writing under his hand or under
the hand of an agent duly
authorised in that behalf and duly
served on the District Planning
Authority to show sufficient cause
why the building, structure or
work should not be removed,
altered or pulled down.
(4) If the owner, occupier or
developer, fails to show
sufficient cause why the building,
structure or other work should not
be removed, altered or pulled
down, the District Planning
Authority shall by notice order
the owner, occupier or developer
within a specified time to remove,
alter or pull down the building,
structure or other work at his own
expense.
(5) If the owner, occupier or
developer fails to comply with the
order of the District Planning
Authority within the specified
time, the District Planning
Authority may carry out the
removal, alteration or pulling
down and recover the expense from
the owner, occupier or developer,
as if it were a debt due from the
person to the District Assembly.
(6) Without prejudice to
subsections (2) and (3) of this
section, a person who contravenes
any bye-law made under section 61
of this Act or the terms of a
permit granted commits an offence
and is liable on conviction to a
fine not exceeding ¢200,000.00 or
to a term of imprisonment not
exceeding six months or to both
and in a case of a continuing
offence to a further fine not
exceeding ¢2,000.00 for each day
that the contravention continues
after written notice has been
served on the offender.
Section 65—Signing of Plans of
Special Buildings.
(1) A District Assembly may by
bye-laws made under section 62 of
this Act, specify the types of
buildings or special areas of a
district, the designed plans of
which buildings shall be required
to be prepared by or under a
registered architect or engineer
or an architectural draughtsman
licensed under an enactment in
force.
(2) There shall be no restriction
as to the person to design or sign
the plan or single-storey
traditional building
characteristic of rural areas and
parts of urban areas.
(3) No person shall submit to the
District Planning Authority the
plan of any building which may be
required to be submitted under
subsection (1) of this section
unless the plan has been prepared
by or under the supervision of and
is signed by a person registered
as an architect or an engineer
under an enactment for the time
being in force.
Section 66—Delegation of
Functions.
A
District Planning Authority may in
writing delegate any of its
functions under this Part of this
Act to a Sub-Metropolitan District
Council, Zonal Council, Urban
Council, Town or Area Council or
Unit Committee.
Section 67—Request for
Information.
(1) A District Planning Authority
may in writing request any person
to furnish it within such time as
may be specified in the request
such information as may be
required for the discharge of its
functions under this Act.
(2) A person who without lawful
excuse fails to comply with a
request for information or
furnishes information which he
knows to be false commits an
offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine not exceeding
¢100,000.00 or to imprisonment for
a period not exceeding three
months or to both.
Section 68—Power of Entry.
(1) An authorised officer of a
District Planning Authority may
enter upon any land or enter any
building in the District to make
such inspection, survey, studies,
examination or investigation as
may be necessary for the
performance of the functions of
the District Planning Authority
under this Act.
(2) The authorised officer of the
District Planing Authority shall
before exercising his powers under
sub-section (1) of the section
give such notice as the considers
reasonable to he owner or
occupier.
Section 69—Immunity of Officers
from Liability.
Subject to the Constitution no
employee of a District Assembly or
a person acting under the
direction or authority of a
District Assembly shall be
personally liable for an act done
in good faith in the performance
of any function or the execution
of any duty under this Part.
PART III—PROVISION OF FIRE
SERVICES
Section 70—Application of Fire
Service Provisions.
This Part shall, without prejudice
to the generality of any powers
conferred by any other enactment
on the subject apply to the
discharge of the functions of a
District Assembly in connection
with the provision of fire
services.
Section 71—Power of Entry of
Premises.
(1) A person authorised by a
District Assembly may without the
consent of the occupier—
(a) enter and, if necessary, break
into any premises or place in
which a fire has or is believed to
have broken out or in which it is
necessary to enter for the purpose
of extinguishing or dealing with
the fire;
(b) do all such things on the
premises or place as may be
necessary for extinguishing or
dealing with the fire;
(c) in order to deal with an
outbreak of fire, enter into any
land or premises—
(i)
to secure the use of water under
the control of any person;
(ii) to improve access to the
water; and
(iii) to lay or maintain pipes and
to carry out other works in
connection with the use of the
water.
(2) Whenever practicable the
District Assembly or a person
authorised under subsection (1) of
this section shall give reasonable
notice to the occupier before
proceeding to exercise any of the
powers conferred by subsection (1)
(c).
Section 72—Control of Traffic.
A
person authorised in writing by a
District Assembly may close to
traffic any street or stop or
regulate the traffic in any street
whenever it is reasonably
necessary for the purpose of
dealing with an outbreak of fire.
Section 73—Penalty for
Obstruction.
A
person who wilfully obstructs or
interferes with the District
Assembly or any person authorised
by it in the performance of any
function under section 70 or 71 of
this Act commits an offence and is
liable on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months or to both;
and in the case of a continuing
offence to a further fine not
exceeding ¢2,000.00 for each day
on which the offence continues.
Section 74—Penalty for False
Alarms.
A
person who knowingly or without
lawful authority gives or causes
to be given any false alarm of
fire commits an offence and is
liable on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢100,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a term not
exceeding three months or to both.
Section 75—Enquiries by Committee
into Origin of Fire.
(1) A District Assembly may
appoint a committee to enquire
into the origin of a fire within
its area of authority.
(2) The committee shall when
holding an enquiry under this
section, have all the powers of a
Community Tribunal.
(3) The Attorney-General, the
Inspector-General of Police or any
person authorised by either of
them and an interested person who
has the permission of the
committee, may attend the enquiry
to examine or cross-examine any
witness or request that a witness
be examined.
(4) Any enactment for the time
being in force relating to
witnesses in a trial before the
Community Tribunal shall apply to
witnesses at the enquiry.
(5) The committee shall after the
conclusion of an enquiry under
this section record its findings
stating its reasons for them.
(6) The committee shall submit a
report of its findings including
the award of compensation if any,
and by whom payable, to the
District Assembly.
PART IV—LICENCES
Section 76—Licensing of Vehicles.
(1) The owner or a person in
possession of a vehicle of a type
mentioned in the Fourth Schedule
to this Act, in use within a
district shall take out from the
District Assembly, a licence for
the vehicle and shall pay the fee
required by bye-laws made under
this Act.
(2) A vehicle for which a licence
is issued under subsection (1) of
this section shall have affixed on
it the number plate assigned to it
by the District Assembly.
(3) No licence shall be issued
under subsection (1) of this
section in respect of any vehicle
which the District Assembly is
satisfied is in such a condition
as to endanger persons or property
or cause unnecessary suffering to
any animal drawing it.
(4) The owner or person in charge
of vehicle who fails to affix or
keep affixed a number plate issued
under subsection (1) of this
section commits an offence, and is
liable on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢5,000.00 and to a
further fine of ¢200.00 for each
day on which the offence
continues.
Section 77—Entertainment Licences.
No person shall undertake or do
within a district any of the acts
or things mentioned in the Fifth
Schedule to this Act without first
having taken out from the District
Assembly a licence for that
purpose and paid the fee required
by bye-laws made under this Act.
Section 78—Provisions as to
Licences Generally.
(1) A licence under this Part may
be issued subject to such
conditions as may be contained in
any bye-laws or, where there is no
provision in the bye laws, such
conditions as the District
Assembly may think fit.
(2) Any condition stipulated in a
bye-law or by a District Assembly
shall be endorsed in detail or by
reference on the licence.
(3) A person required to hold a
licence referred to in this Part
who, upon demand being reasonably
made by any police officer or any
authorised officer of the District
Assembly fails to produce his
licence for inspection commits an
offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine not exceeding
¢100,000.00 or imprisonment not
exceeding three months or to both.
(4) A person who, without the
appropriate licence, does any
thing for which a licence is
required under this Part or who,
being the holder of a licence
issued under this Part contravenes
any of the conditions contained in
the licence commits an offence and
is liable on conviction to a fine
not exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to
imprisonment not exceeding six
months or to both.
(5) A person who lets out, hires,
lends or borrows a licence or who
not holding a valid licence
produces, exhibits, or uses a
licence, commits an offence and is
liable on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to
imprisonment not exceeding six
months or to both.
(6) A District Assembly may revoke
a licence when the holder has been
convicted of an offence under
subsection (4) or (5) of this
section.
PART V—BYE-LAWS
Section 79—District Assembly to
make Bye-Laws.
(1) A District Assembly may make
bye-laws for the purpose of any
function conferred upon it by or
under this Act or any other
enactment.
(2) A District Assembly may in
bye-laws made under this Act—
(a) specify as penalty a fine not
exceeding ¢200,000.00 or a term of
imprisonment not exceeding six
months or to both;
(b) specify a further penalty not
exceeding ¢2,000.00 for each day
on which the offence is continued
after written notice of the
conviction has been served on the
offender in the case of a
continuing offence; and
(c) make provision for the payment
of such fees or charges as the
Assembly may think fit.
(3) Bye-laws made by an Assembly
under this Act shall be read and
construed subject to the
provisions of this Act and any
other enactment.
Section 80—Validity of Bye-Laws.
(1) Every bye-law made by a
District Assembly shall be
submitted to the Minister for
approval or rejection.
(2) Where the Minister—
(a) rejects the bye-law he shall
notify the District Assembly
giving reasons for the rejection;
or
(b) approves the bye-law he shall
submit it for publication in the
Gazette.
(3) The Minister may delegate his
powers under subsection (2) of
this section to the Regional
Co-ordinating Council.
(4) A bye-law shall not have
effect until it has been published
in the Gazette.
Section 81—Model Bye-Laws.
(1) Where the Minister is of the
opinion that uniform provision may
reasonably be made in respect of a
matter for which bye-laws may be
made under this Act, he may by
legislative instrument make model
bye-laws in respect of that
matter.
(2) Where a model bye-law is not
expressed to apply throughout
Ghana, it shall apply within the
areas of authority of such
District Assemblies as the
Minister may by notice published
in the Gazette specify, and
subject to such modifications or
omissions as the Minister may in
any particular case consider
expedient, any other bye-laws
relating to the subject-matter of
the model bye-laws shall to that
extent cease to have effect within
the areas.
Section 82—Copy of Bye-Laws to be
Deposited at Assembly Offices.
A
copy of every bye-law made by a
District Assembly shall be
deposited at the office of the
Assembly and shall at all
reasonable times be open to public
inspection without the payment of
any fee.
Section 83—Evidence of Bye-Laws.
A
copy of a bye-law purporting to be
made by a District Assembly upon
which is endorsed a certificate
purporting to be signed by the
Presiding Member and the Secretary
to the Assembly to the effect that
the copy is a true copy of the
bye-law, shall be prima facie
evidence in any court of the due
making and the contents of it.
PART VI—ACQUISITION OF IMMOVABLE
PROPERTY
Section 84—Power of Assembly to
Acquire Land.
(1) A District Assembly may
acquire land or buildings in the
District or outside it as it may
consider necessary for the
carrying out of any function
conferred on it under this Act.
(2) A District Assembly may, for
the purpose of promoting
development, purchase land,
service it, and re-allocate it to
prospective public or private
developers for development.
(3) Where any land is required by
a District Assembly for the
purposes of the Assembly including
the undertaking of a housing
scheme and there is any hindrance
to the purchase of the land, the
land may be acquired for the
Assembly under any enactment
regulating acquisition of land by
the State for the time being in
force.
(4) All expenses and compensation
incurred in respect of the
acquisition of any land by the
Government for a District Assembly
shall be paid in the first
instance by the Government and the
District Assembly concerned shall
refund to the Government the
amount of expenses and
compensation paid and, upon the
refund, the title in the land
shall be transferred to the
Assembly.
Section 85—Development Charges on
Serviced Land.
(1) In allocating acquired and
serviced land to prospective
developers in accordance with
sub-section (2) of section 84 of
this Act, a District Assembly
shall impose on beneficiary
prospective developers a
reasonable development charge for
acquiring and servicing the land
and such other terms as may appear
to the District Assembly to be
most expedient for the development
of the District.
(2) The proceeds of a transaction
referred to in sub-section (1) of
this section shall be paid into a
separately established fund
maintained solely for the purpose
of further acquisition and
servicing of land so acquired.
PART VII—FINANCIAL MATTERS
Section 86—Revenue of Local
Government Bodies.
(1) A District Assembly shall open
and maintain a bank account for
all revenues and other monies
raised or received by it under
this Act or any other enactment.
(2) The District Assemblies Common
Fund Administrator shall
distribute monies from the
District Assemblies Common Fund to
District Assemblies in accordance
with the provisions of the
District Assemblies Common Fund
Act, 1993 (Act 455) and the monies
shall form part of the monies
referred to in sub-section (1) of
this section.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions
of any enactment to the contrary
all income from the sources listed
in the Sixth Schedule to this Act
and all revenue from levies, fees
and licences charged in respect of
the activities listed in the Sixth
Schedule shall be taxed or
collected exclusively by or for
the District Assembly.
(4) The Minister in consultation
with the Minister for the time
being charged with responsibility
for national revenue, may by
legislative instrument amend the
Sixth Schedule to this Act.
(5) The Minister may, subject to
such terms and conditions as may
be agreed upon with the
appropriate public body, authorise
the body to collect on behalf of
District Assemblies any revenue
specified in the Sixth Schedule to
this Act.
(6) Amounts collected under
sub-section (5) of this section
shall be shared among the District
Assemblies in the proportions or
upon a formula that the President
may, on the recommendation of the
Minister determine.
Section 87—Expenditure.
(1) Subject to this Act, a
District Assembly may incur all
expenditure necessary for, or
incidental to the carrying out of
any functions conferred upon it
under this Act or any other
enactment, or by the instrument by
which it is established, provided
that expenditure is included in
the approved budget of the
District for the relevant year.
(2) For the avoidance of doubt all
monies received by a District
Assembly from the District
Assemblies Common Fund shall be
expended only on projects which
form part of the approved
development plan for the District.
Section 88—Power to Borrow.
A
District Assembly may raise loans
or obtain overdrafts within Ghana
of such amounts, from such
sources, in such manner, for such
purposes and upon such conditions
as the Minister in consultation
with the Minister responsible for
Finance, may approve; except that
no approval is required where the
loan or overdraft to be raised
does not exceed ¢20,000,000.00 and
the loan or overdraft does not
require a guarantee by the Central
Government.
Section 89—Investment of Funds.
A
District Assembly may invest all
or any portion of the monies of
the Assembly in Ghana Government
treasury bills or in other
investment as may be approved by
the Assembly.
Section 90—Accounts.
Every District Assembly shall keep
proper accounts and proper records
in relation to them and shall
prepare immediately, after the end
of each financial year a statement
of its accounts in such form as
the Auditor-General may direct.
Section 91—Power of Minister to
Give Financial Instructions.
(1) The Minister may, after
consultation with the Minister
responsible for Finance, issue
written instructions, not
inconsistent with any of the
provisions of this Act, for the
better control and efficient
management of the finances of
District Assemblies.
(2) The instructions may be issued
either generally or with respect
to a particular District Assembly
and shall be complied with by the
District Assemblies generally or
the District Assembly concerned.
Section 92—District Budgets.
(1) Every District Assembly shall,
before the end of each financial
year submit to the Regional
Co-ordinating Council a detailed
budget for the district stating
the revenue and expenditure of the
District for the ensuing year.
(2) The Regional Co-ordinating
Council shall collate and
co-ordinate the budgets of the
districts in the region and shall
submit total budget to the
Minister responsible for Finance
and submit copies to the Minister
and the National Development
Planning Committee.
(3) The budget for a district
shall include the aggregate
revenue and expenditure of all
departments and organisations
under the District Assembly and
the District Co-ordinating
Directorate, including the annual
development plans and programmes
of the departments and
organisations under the Assembly.
Section 93—Access to Records of
District Assemblies.
(1) A person authorised in writing
for that purpose by the Minister
shall at all reasonable times have
access to and be entitled to
inspect all books, accounts and
records of any District Assembly
and may advise the Assembly on
them and submit reports to the
Minister and the Regional
Co-ordinating Council in
connection with them.
(2) For the purposes of
subsection (1) of this section,
there may be established a
division of the Ministry with
staff under such terms and
conditions as the Public Services
Commission may approve.
(3) A person who wilfully
obstructs another person in the
discharge of his duties under
subsection (1) of this section
commits an offence and is liable
on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢100,000.00 or to a term
of imprisonment not exceeding
three months or both; and in the
case of a continuing offence to a
further fine not exceeding
¢1,000.00 for each day on which
the offence continues.
PART VIII—RATES
Section 94—Rating Authority.
A
District Assembly shall be the
rating authority for the district
and, subject to any special
provisions in this Act or in any
other enactment, no authority
other than the Assembly shall,
notwithstanding any customary law
to the contrary, have power to
make or levy rates in the
district.
Section 95—Duty to Make
Sufficient Rates.
(1) A District Assembly shall make
and levy sufficient rates to
provide for that part of the total
estimated expenditure to be
incurred by it during the period
in respect of which the rate is
levied and which is to be met out
of money raised by rates.
(2) Before the date on which
payment is received in respect of
the immediate rates available to
it, a District Assembly may make
and levy such additional amount
which in the opinion of the
Assembly is required to cover
expenditure previously incurred by
it or required to meet
contingencies or to defray any
expenditure which needs to be
defrayed.
Section 96—Method of Rating.
(1) A rating authority may,
subject to this Act, levy general
or special rates of such amount as
it considers necessary having
regard to section 95 of this Act.
(2) For the purposes of this Part—
"general rate" means a rate made
and levied over the whole district
for the general purposes of the
district.
“special rate” means a rate made
and levied over a specified area
in the District for the purpose of
a specified project approved by
the District Assembly for that
area.
(3) A general rate may be—
(a) a rate payable by the owner of
premises within the district on
the rateable value of the
premises; or
(b) a rate assessed on the
possessions, or any category of
possessions of persons who reside
within the district;
(4) A special rate may be a basic
amount payable by all persons of
or above the age of eighteen years
who reside within the area or on
owners of movable or immovable
property in the area.
(5) A person registered as a voter
in any district may be required to
pay rates imposed by the District
Assembly for that district
notwithstanding that the person
has not resided in the district.
(6) A general or special rate
imposed on immovable property
under this section shall be at a
specified rate per cedi on the
rateable value of the property but
the amount per cedi shall vary as
between specified areas of the
district; except that within a
mixed development area, the amount
per cedi on rateable value shall
vary in respect of property used
for different purposes.
(7) Subject to the exemptions in
section 99 of this Act, the
premises rateable under this
section shall be premises
comprising buildings or structures
or similar development.
(8) Subject to this section, the
Minister shall in consultation
with the Minister responsible for
valuation cause to be determined
by the authority for the time
being responsible for public lands
valuation, or by a valuer
appointed by that authority the
rateable value of premises for the
purposes of this section, and may
for that purpose cause a valuation
list to be prepared for each
district.
(9) Subject to subsection (11) of
this section, the rateable value
of premises shall be the
replacement cost of the buildings,
structures and other development
comprised in the premises after
deducting the amount which it
would cost at the time of
valuation to restore the premises
to a condition in which they would
be as serviceable as they were
when new; except that the rateable
value shall not be more than fifty
per cent of the replacement cost
for the premises of an owner
occupier and shall not be less
than seventy-five per cent of the
replacement cost in all other
cases.
(10) In this section—
(a) the expression "replacement
cost" with respect to buildings,
structures and other development
means the amount it would cost to
provide the buildings, structures
and other developments as if they
were new on an undeveloped site at
the time the premises are being
valued.
(b) the expression "development"
includes any kind of work or
improvement carried out on or in
any land and in particular
foundations, excavations, drainage
systems, and pathways, aprons and
other prepared surfaces;
(c) references to buildings and
structures include references to
plant and machinery which are
attached to and form an integral
part of any building or structure;
(d) the expression "mixed
development area" means a
use-zoning area where residential,
commercial, light industrial or
heavy industrial uses have been
permitted or may be permitted,
together or in any combination
thereof, by a planning authority
as specified in a Rate Notice;
(e) the expression “use-zoning”
means the division by a planning
authority of a community township
into zones or districts according
to present or potential use of
immovable properties for the
purposes of controlling or
directing the use and development
of these properties or for the
purposes of rating or conserving
the value of those properties.
(11) The Minister may by
legislative instrument prescribe
either generally or in respect of
any particular district a basis
for the assessment of rateable
value of premises.
(12) Where a basis for the
assessment of the rateable value
of premises is prescribed by the
Minister under subsection (11) of
this section for a district,
subsections (9) and (10) shall not
apply to those premises in those
districts.
Section 97—Making and Levying of
Rate.
A
rate shall be deemed to have been
made and levied by the
publication, in pursuance of a
resolution of the rating authority
in that behalf of a notice in the
manner for the time being
prescribed by regulations made
under section 158 of this Act.
Section 98—Date and Place of
Payment of Rate.
When a rating authority has given
notice of a rate in accordance
with section 97 of this Act, it
shall be the duty of every person
liable to pay the rate, to pay the
amount to a rate collector or
other person duly appointed or
authorised by the District
Assembly concerned to collect and
receive the rate at the time and
place specified by the rating
authority.
Section 99—Exemptions from and
Remission of Rates.
(1) The following tenements are
exempted from assessment and
rating under this Act—
(a) all premises appropriated
exclusively for the purpose of
public worship and registered with
the District Assembly;
(b) cemeteries and burial grounds
registered by the District
Assembly;
(c) charitable or public
educational institutions
registered with the District
Assembly;
(d) premises used as public
hospitals and clinics; and
(e) premises owned by diplomatic
missions as may be approved by the
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
(2) The following persons are
exempted from payment of basic
rate—
(a) persons who are in attendance
at educational institutions who do
not receive any remuneration or
income during that period other
than an allowance, loan or other
grant provided for the purposes of
such attendance, and for the
purposes of this paragraph
"remuneration" does not include
any sum received by a person in
respect of temporary employment
undertaken by him during vacation
from an educational institution;
and
(b) persons who are more than
seventy years old.
(3) The rating authority may
reduce or remit payment of any
rate on account of the poverty of
a person liable to the payment of
the rate.
(4) Where it is shown to the
satisfaction of the rating
authority that premises in respect
of which the owner is liable to
the payment of rates have been
unoccupied for a period of not
less than three months in any
financial year and that notice has
been given as required by
subsection (5) of this section,
the rating authority, may, upon
the application of the person who
has paid the amount of the rate
payable in respect of the
premises, refund to that person
such proportion of the amount paid
as it may consider reasonable in
the circumstances.
(5) It is the duty of the owner
of any premises liable to the
payment of rates to notify the
rating authority in writing within
twenty-one days that his premises,
if previously unoccupied, are
occupied, or, if the premises were
previously occupied, that the
premises are unoccupied.
(6) The owner of premises, who,
having given a notice of
non-occupation, fails to give
notice of re-occupation required
by subsection (5) of this section
commits an offence and is liable
on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢100,000.00 or to a term
of imprisonment not exceeding
three months or to both.
(7) Where it is shown to the
satisfaction of the rating
authority that an assessed
premises or a part of it have been
demolished or removed during any
financial year, the rating
authority shall, on the
application of the person who has
paid the amount of the rate
payable in respect of the
premises, order to be refunded to
that person such proportion of the
amount paid as the rating
authority may consider reasonable
having regard to all
circumstances; except that, in the
case of a demolition or removal
otherwise than by order of the
District Assembly or a court, no
refund shall be made unless the
owner of the premises has within
fourteen days of the demolition or
removal given notice in writing to
the District Chief Executive.
Section 100—Minister to Issue
Guidelines.
The Minister may issue guidelines
for the making and levying of
rates.
Section 101—Claim for Amount of
Rate.
(1) The claim for the amount of
any rate payable under this Act
shall, except in so far as may be
otherwise specifically provided in
any other law, have priority over
all other claims against the
person liable to pay the rate,
except claims by the Government.
(2) If any person fails to pay any
rate for which he is on or before
the date on which liable is
payable, the District Assembly
concerned may recover it as a
civil debt together with costs or
may prosecute the defaulting
ratepayer for wilful default to
pay the rate together with
appropriate penalties.
(3) In any proceedings to recover
rate levied under this Act the
rate books an other records of the
District Assembly concerned and
all certified copies of entries
purporting to be made in them
signed by the District Chief
Executive and sealed with the seal
of the District Assembly shall, on
production be, prima facie
evidence of the rate, and of the
matters stated in them.
Section 102—Rates on Immovable
Property to be a Charge on them.
The amount of a general or special
rate due in respect of any
premises shall until paid be a
charge on the premises, and that
charge shall have priority over
all other claims against the
premises except claims of the
Government.
Section 103—Rate Assessment
Committees.
(1) There shall be a Rate
Assessment Committee for every
District, to be appointed by the
Regional Minister on the
recommendation of the District
Assembly concerned.
(2) The Rate Assessment Committee
shall consist of a chairman and
four other persons.
(3) A person aggrieved by a
valuation of the valuation
authority or the valuer under
subsection (8) of section 96 or by
a rate imposed on his premises by
a rating authority may apply for a
review to the Rate Assessment
Committee.
(4) The Rate Assessment Committee
shall notify the rating authority
of its decision.
(5) Any person or rating authority
aggrieved by a decision of a Rate
Assessment Committee may appeal to
the High Court.
Section 104—Notice where General
or Special Rate not Paid.
(1) Subject to subsections (3),
(4) and (5) of section 103 of this
Act, if the amount of a general or
special rate or any instalment of
it payable in respect of any
premises is not paid within ten
days from the date when it is due,
the District Assembly shall cause
to be affixed on a conspicuous
part of the premises a notice in a
form prescribed by the regulations
to the effect that if the amount
of the rate payable in respect of
the premises is not paid within
forty-two days from the date of
the notice, proceedings will be
taken for the sale of the premises
for the purposes of defraying the
amount.
(2) Where a person claiming to be
the owner of an assessed premises
has given notice in writing to the
District Assembly of his name and
postal address, no notice referred
to in subsection (1) of this
section shall be affixed on the
premises until a demand in writing
for payment of the amount of the
rate due has been sent by
registered letter by the District
Assembly to the person, and
default has been made for one
month after the date of posting of
the registered letter.
Section 105—Notice of Mortgage in
Respect of Rateable Premises.
(1) Where a person who has a
registered mortgage on an assessed
premises has given to the District
Assembly notice in writing of his
mortgage, no notice shall be
affixed on the mortgaged premises
under section 104 until a demand
in writing for payment of the
amount of the rate due on the
premises has been sent by
registered letter by the District
Assembly to the mortgagee, and
default has been made for one
month after the date of posting of
the registered letter.
(2) Notice of a mortgage given
under subsection (1) of this
section shall contain such
particulars of the mortgaged
premises as are necessary for the
identification of the premises,
and shall state the date and place
of registration, the volume and
page of the Land Register Book in
which the mortgage is registered,
and the postal address of the
mortgagee.
Section 106—Proceedings in Case of
Non-Payment of Rates.
(1) If the amount of the general
or special rate due in respect of
any premises is not paid within
the period of forty-two days as
provided in section 104 of this
Act, the District Assembly may
apply to a court for an order for
the sale of the premises.
(2) If the court is satisfied,
after hearing a representative of
the District Assembly and any
evidence that he may produce, and
also such other person, if any, as
the court may think fit that the
provisions of section 104 of this
Act have not been complied with,
and that the amount of the rate
due in respect of the premises has
not been paid it shall order the
premises to be sold to defray the
amount of the rate due.
(3) Premises ordered to be sold to
defray the amount of the rate due
shall be sold under the direction
of the person authorised by the
court.
(4) If at any time during
proceedings before the sale of the
premises payment of the amount of
the rate due and of all expenses
properly incurred is made, all
further proceedings shall cease.
(5) If no payment is made, and the
premises are actually sold, and
the sale becomes absolute under
subsection (3) of this section,
the court shall grant a
certificate to the person who was
declared the purchaser at the sale
to the effect that he has
purchased the premises under this
Act.
Section 107—Agreement between
Landlord and Tenant.
Nothing in this Part shall affect
any agreement between landlord and
tenant with respect to the payment
of the rate, and no such agreement
between landlord and tenant shall
derogate from the provision of
this Act with respect to the
enforcement of any rate.
Section 108—Penalty for Refusal to
Pay Rates and Wilful
Misrepresentation.
(1) A person who, without lawful
justification or excuse, the proof
of which shall be on him, refuses
or wilfully neglect to pay any
basic rate payable by him under
this Act on or after the date on
which it is payable commits an
offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine not exceeding
¢50,000.00 or to imprisonment for
a term not exceeding one month or
to both.
(2) A person who makes a false
statement with regard to his
liability to pay rates commits an
offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine not exceeding
¢50,000.00 or to imprisonment for
a term not exceeding one month or
to both.
Section 109—Penalty for Inciting a
Person not to pay Rates.
A
person who, without lawful
justification or excuse, the proof
of which shall be on him, incites
any person to refuse to pay any
rate payable by him under this Act
or who assists any person to make
a false statement with regard to
his liability to pay rates commits
an offence and is liable on
conviction to a fine not exceeding
¢50,000.00 or to imprisonment for
a term not exceeding one month or
to both.
Section 110—Penalty for
Unauthorised Collection of Rates.
Where a person who has not been
authorised under this Act or by
the District Assembly collects or
attempts to collect any rate under
this Act, he commits an offence
and is liable on conviction to a
fine not exceeding ¢500,000.00 or
to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding twelve months or to
both.
Section 111—Rate Payers and Rate
Collectors.
(1) Each District Assembly shall
prepare and maintain proper
records of rateable persons and
tenements in its District.
(2) A District Assembly may in
writing, authorise any suitable
person, in respect of a specified
area of the District in this Act
referred to as a "rate collector"
to collect rates.
(3) A rate collector shall—
(a) furnish in writing to the
District Assembly concerned a
nominal roll of all rateable
persons in the area in respect of
which he has been authorised to
collect rates;
(b) collect and receive from each
person liable for the payment of
rates in the area, the rates
payable by the person;
(c) pay all amounts collected to
the District Assembly concerned;
and
(d) report to the District
Assembly concerned the name of any
person who has failed to pay the
amount due from him.
Section 112—Penalty in Respect of
Offences by Rate Collectors.
A
rate collector who—
(a) fails to deposit with the
District Assembly concerned any
sum of money collected by him as
rates;
(b) knowingly demands from any
person an amount in excess of the
duly assessed rates;
(c) renders false returns, whether
orally or in writing; or
(d) wilfully fails to carry out a
duty imposed on him as a rate
collector by subsection (3) of
section 111 of this Act,
commits an offence and is liable
on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢500,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a term not
exceeding twelve months or to both
without prejudice to liability in
a civil action by the District
Assembly to recover what is due
from the rate collector.
Section 113—Proceedings for Rates.
Proceedings to enforce the payment
of a rate payable or for the
imposition of penalties under this
Part, may without prejudice to the
right of any other person or
authority to institute criminal
proceedings, be taken by the
District Assembly responsible for
the collection of the rate before
any court.
Section 114—Payment of Rates by
Public Boards and Institutions and
Government.
(1) Every public board, statutory
corporation or institution shall,
unless exempted under section 99
of this Act or any other enactment
be liable to pay rates in respect
of any immovable property owned by
it.
(2) Where the Government would if
it were a private person have been
liable to pay rates to a rating
authority in respect of any
premises it owns directly, the
Government shall pay to that
rating authority in lieu of the
rates such sums at such times as
may be agreed between the
Government and the rating
authority.
Section 115—Employers to Deduct
Rates from Employees’
Remuneration.
(1) Every employer shall deduct
from the remuneration of every
employee who is employed by him in
the district of the rating
authority any general or special
rate imposed by that rating
authority as a basic amount by
virtue of subsection (3) or (4) of
section 96 of this Act, and it
shall be the duty of the employee
to notify or remind his employer
in writing when the deductions
become due.
(2) The deductions shall be made
from—
(a) the first instalment of the
remuneration due to be paid after
the publication of the notice of
the rate in accordance with
section 97 of this Act;
(b) such subsequent instalment as
the Minister may direct; or
(c) such instalments as may be
prescribed by the regulations made
under section 158 of this Act.
(3) All sums deducted under this
section shall be held by the
employer on behalf of the rating
authority and shall be paid by the
employer to that authority within
thirty days after the deduction is
made.
(4) This section applies only to—
(a) an employee who resides in the
district;
(b) an employee who to the
knowledge of the employer owns
immovable property situated within
the area to which the rate
relates;
(c) an employee in respect of whom
a rating authority has notified
his employer in writing in
connection with any rate imposed
by that authority—
(i)
that the employee resides in the
district;
(ii) that the employee owns
immovable property within the area
to which the rate relates; or
(iii) that the employee is a
person required to pay the rate
imposed by subsection (5) of
section 96 of this Act as being a
person registered as a voter in
the district to which the rate
relates.
(5) In this section "employee"
includes a commission agent and
any other person who habitually
retails the goods of another
person in consideration for a
commission or allowance or who
habitually canvasses for or
solicits customers for any other
person in consideration for a
commission or allowance and the
words “employer” and
“remuneration” shall be construed
accordingly.
(6) An employer who, after
deducting from the remuneration of
an employee any general or special
rate fails to pay the amount to
the rating authority within the
time stipulated in subsection (3)
of this section commits an offence
and is liable on conviction to a
fine not exceeding ¢200,000.00 or
to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months or to both.
Section 116—Rating Authority to
Appoint Agent for Collection of
Rates.
(1) Without prejudice to section
111 of this Act, a rating
authority may by notice in writing
appoint any person holding any
monies for or from whom any monies
are due to any other person or
class of persons specified in the
notice, to be its agent for the
collection of any specified basic
rate, which is payable by that
other person or of persons of that
class.
(2) A person appointed as agent
under subsection (1) of this
section shall—
(a) deduct from any monies
referred to in subsection (1) of
this section the rate specified in
the notice; and
(b) hold the sums deducted on
behalf of the rating authority by
whom he is appointed and pay to
the rating authority all the
monies within fifteen days from
the day on which the notice was
served on him.
Section 117—Set-Off and Refund.
Any sums deducted and paid to a
rating authority under section 115
or section 116 of this Act in
respect of any rate shall be set
off against the actual rate
liability of the person from whose
remuneration or moneys the sums
are deducted and the person shall
be entitled to the refund to him
by the rating authority of all
sums or part which that person is
not liable to pay in respect of
the rate having regard to the
provisions of this Act.
Section 118—Penalty.
(1) A person who contravenes
section 115 or section 116 of this
Act commits an offence and is
liable on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months or to both.
(2) Without prejudice to
subsection (1) of this section, an
employer required to deduct and
pay any rate to a rating authority
under section 115 of this Act, and
the person appointed as agent for
the collection of any rate under
section 116 of this Act, may be
proceeded against under section
101 of this Act as if he were the
person originally liable to pay
the rate.
(3) The employer or agent shall be
indemnified in respect of any acts
done by him in pursuance of
section 115 or section 116 of this
Act.
Section 119—Duty to Give
Information and Inspection of
Premises in Respect of Rates.
(1) A rating authority, rate
collector or Rate Assessment
Committee or any person authorised
in writing by the rating authority
may request from any person such
information as may be reasonably
required for the assessment or
collection of rates.
(2) A person authorised in writing
by a rating authority may at all
reasonable times and upon the
production of such written
authority enter any premises and
request the production of such
books in the premises for his
inspection and hold such interview
with any person present on the
premises, as may be reasonably
necessary for the purpose of—
(a) verifying the accuracy of any
information supplied under
subsection (1) of this section;
or
(b) ensuring that section 115 of
this Act is being complied with.
(3) A person who—
(a) fails without reasonable
excuse proof of which shall be on
him to supply information
requested from him under
subsection (1) of this section;
(b) supplies upon such request
information which he knows to be
false or which he has no
reasonable grounds to believe to
be true; or
(c) wilfully obstructs any person
authorised under subsection (1) of
this section in the performance of
his functions under that
subsection, commits an offence and
is liable on conviction to a fine
not exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months or to both.
PART IX—INTERNAL AUDIT
Section 120—Internal Audit.
(1) Every District Assembly shall
have an Internal Audit Unit.
(2) Subject to this Act, the head
of the Internal Audit Unit of the
District Assembly shall be
responsible to the District
Assembly in the performance of his
functions.
(3) The Head of the Internal Audit
Unit shall at intervals of three
months, prepare a report on the
internal audit work carried out by
his Unit during the period of
three months immediately preceding
the preparation of the report and
submit the report to the Presiding
Member of the Assembly.
(4) Without prejudice to the
generality of subsection (3) of
this section, the Head of the
Internal Audit Unit in the
district shall make in each report
such observations as appear to him
necessary as to the conduct of the
financial affairs of the Assembly
during the period to which the
report relates.
(5) The head of the Internal Audit
Unit of the district shall send a
copy of each report prepared by
him under this section to the
Minister, the District Chief
Executive and the Regional
Co-ordinating Council.
PART X—AUDIT
Section 121—Auditor-General to
Audit Accounts of District
Assemblies.
(1) The accounts of a District
Assembly established under this
Act, together with all books,
records, returns and other
documents relevant to the accounts
and the annual statement of its
accounts, shall each year be
audited by the Auditor-General or
an auditor approved by him and
reported on by him to the
Minister, Parliament and the
District Assembly.
(2) In his report the
Auditor-General shall draw
attention to any irregularities in
the accounts audited by him.
(3) Without prejudice to this
Part, any other enactment for the
time being in force in relation to
the audit of the public accounts
of Ghana and to the functions of
the Auditor-General shall apply in
relation to the accounts to which
subsection (1) of this section
applies.
(4) The District Assembly or other
local government body concerned
shall take the report into
consideration at its next ordinary
meeting or as soon as practicable
after that.
Section 122—Auditor-General May
Disallow or Surcharge.
(1) In the performance of his
functions under this Act, the
Auditor-General shall have power
to disallow any item of
expenditure which is contrary to
this Act and to surcharge—
(a) the amount of any expenditure
disallowed on the person
responsible for incurring or
authorising that expenditure;
(b) any sum which has not been
duly brought into account upon the
person by whom the sum ought to
have been brought into account; or
(c) the amount of any loss or
deficiency upon any person by
whose negligence or misconduct the
loss or deficiency has been
incurred.
(2) A person aggrieved by a
disallowance or surcharge made by
the Auditor-General may appeal to
the High Court of Justice not
later than thirty days after the
Auditor-General has given notice
of the disallowance or surcharge.
(3) Any sum certified by the
Auditor-General to be due from any
person shall be paid by that
person to the Assembly or other
body concerned within thirty days
after it has been so certified or,
if an appeal with respect to that
sum has been made under
sub-section (2) of this section,
within thirty days after the
appeal is finally disposed of or
abandoned or fails by reason of
non-prosecution.
Section 123—Recovery of Sums
Certified Due.
(1) Any sum which is certified by
the Auditor-General to be due and
which has become payable shall be
recoverable as a civil debt.
(2) In proceedings for the
recovery of the sum, a certificate
signed by the Auditor-General
shall be conclusive evidence of
the facts certified and a
certificate signed by an officer
of the District Assembly concerned
whose duty it is to keep the
accounts to the effect that the
sum certified to be due has been
paid since the date of the
certificate of the Auditor-General
shall be conclusive evidence of
the facts in it.
(3) If proceedings to appeal
against the decision of the
Auditor-General have been
commenced, the certificate signed
by the Auditor-General shall not
be evidence of the facts stated in
it unless his decision is
confirmed on appeal and where the
decision is varied a certified
copy of the finding of the court
shall be conclusive evidence of
the matter contained in it.
(4) Unless the contrary is proved,
a certificate purporting to be
signed by the Auditor-General, or
by the officer whose duty it is to
keep the accounts of the Assembly
shall be deemed to have been
signed by the Auditor-General or
by the officer, as the case may
be.
Section 124—Suspension Pending
Appeal.
(1) Pending the determination of
an appeal under subsection (2) of
section 122 against a disallowance
or surcharge arising out of an
audit under this Part, the
appellant, where he is a member of
the Assembly, shall be deemed to
be suspended from attending any
meeting of the District Assembly
or any committee of the Assembly
and from taking part in the
affairs of the Assembly concerned
from the date of the surcharge or
disallowance and any person who
contravenes the provisions of this
section commits an offence and is
liable on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢500,00.00.
(2) No prosecution shall be
commenced under this section
without the consent in writing of
the Attorney-General.
Section 125—Publication of Annual
Statement of Accounts and
Auditor's Report.
Every District Assembly or other
body shall, at its own office and
in any other manner directed by
the Minister publish—
(a) the annual statement of its
accounts; and
(b) any report on the accounts and
statements made by the
Auditor-General, three months
after the close of the financial
year to which the accounts relate
or the receipt of the
Auditor-General's report, as the
case may be.
Section 126—Definition of “Audit”.
In this Part the expression
"audit" includes an annual,
interim or any audit and the
provisions of this Part shall be
applicable in relation to the
audit in so far as the context
admits.
PART XI—LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, NOTICES
Section 127—Notice of Suit to be
Given to Assembly.
(1) No suit shall be commenced
against a District Assembly until
one month at least after written
notice of intention to commence
the suit has been served upon the
Assembly by the intending
plaintiff or his agent.
(2) The notice shall state the
cause of action, the names and
place of abode of the intending
plaintiff and the relief which he
claims;
shall not lie or be instituted
unless it is commenced within
twelve months next after the act,
neglect or default complained of,
or in the case of continuing
damage or injury within twelve
months after the date of
cessation.
Section 128—Mode of Service on
Assembly.
(1) The notice referred to in
section 127 of this Act and any
summons, notice or other document
required or authorised to be
served on an Assembly shall be
served by delivering it or by
sending it by registered post
addressed to the District Chief
Executive.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1)
of this section a court may with
regard to any particular suit or
document order service on the
Assembly to be effected otherwise,
and in that case service shall be
effected in accordance with the
terms of the order.
Section 129—Description of
Property.
Where in any criminal proceeding
it is necessary to refer to the
ownership or description of
property belonging to or under the
management of a District Assembly,
the property may be described as
the property of the Assembly.
Section 130—Power of Entry.
Subject to this Act and without
prejudice to the generality of any
other powers conferred under this
Act, a person duly authorised in
writing for that purpose by a
District Assembly may, at all
reasonable times, enter into or
upon any land, building or
premises (other than places known
as sacred groves) within the area
in which the Assembly is
established for the purpose of
carrying out any inspection,
inquiry or the execution of works
under this Act or of any bye-laws
made by the Assembly.
Section 131—Publication of
Notices.
Except where otherwise provided in
this Act, the publication of any
notice or other document required
by this Act to be published shall
be deemed to be duly made if it is
fixed, for a reasonable time, in
some conspicuous place on or near
the outer door of the office of
the District Assembly during
office hours, and also in some
other conspicuous place within the
District.
Section 132—Occupier to Provide
Specified Particulars.
For the .purpose of enabling any
document to be served on the owner
of any premises, a District
Assembly may by notice in writing
require the occupier of the
premises to state the name and
address of the owner of the
premises, and if the occupier
refuses or wilfully neglects to do
so, or wilfully mistakes the name
and address of the owner, he
unless he shows cause to the
satisfaction of a court, commits
an offence and is liable on
conviction in respect of each
offence to a fine not exceeding
¢50,000.00 or to imprisonment for
a term not exceeding one month or
to both; and in the case of a
continuing offence to a further
fine not exceeding ¢2,000.00 for
each day on which the offence
continues.
PART XII—PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
Section 133—Freedom of Speech and
Proceedings in Assembly.
There shall be freedom of speech,
debate and proceedings in every
District Assembly and the freedom
shall not be impeached or
questioned in any court or place
out of the Assembly.
Section 134— Immunity from
Proceedings for Acts in Assembly.
(1) Subject to this section no
civil or criminal proceedings
shall be instituted against a
member of a District Assembly or
officer of the Assembly in any
court because of anything said by
him in the Assembly or any matter
or thing brought by him in or
before the Assembly by petition,
motion or otherwise.
(2) Where in the opinion of the
Presiding Member of the Assembly a
statement made by a member of the
Assembly is prima facie defamatory
of any person, the Presiding
Member shall refer the matter for
inquiry to the Public Relations
and Complaints Committee of the
Assembly which shall report its
findings to the Assembly not later
than fourteen days of the matter
being so referred.
(3) Where the Committee reports to
the Assembly that the statement
made by the member is defamatory
of any person, the member who made
the statement shall at the next
sitting of the Assembly, render an
apology at the bar of the
Assembly, the terms of which shall
be approved by the Committee and
communicated to the person who has
been defamed.
(4) Where a member refuses to
render an apology in accordance
with subsection (3) of this
section, the Presiding Member
shall suspend that member for the
duration of two consecutive
meetings of the Assembly.
(5) A member of the Assembly
suspended under subsection (4) of
this section shall lose all his
privileges, immunities and
allowances in respect of his
membership of the Assembly and his
privileges, immunities and
allowance shall be forfeited until
such time as he apologises.
Section 135—Immunity from Service
as Juryman.
No member of the Assembly shall be
required to serve on a jury in any
court or as a member of any
tribunal.
Section 136—Immunity from Service
of Process and Arrest
(1) No civil or criminal process
issuing from any court or place
out of a District Assembly shall
be served on or executed in
relation to any member of the
Assembly or officer of the
Assembly while he is on his way to
attending at or returning from a
meeting of the Assembly.
(2) A certificate of the Presiding
Member of the District Assembly to
the effect that a member was on
his way to, attending or returning
from a meeting of the District
Assembly shall be conclusive
evidence of attendance at the
Assembly.
Section 137—Immunity From
Publication of Proceedings.
Subject to this Part, no person
shall be under a civil or criminal
liability in respect of the
publication of—
(a) the text or a summary of a
report, papers, minutes, notes or
proceedings of a District
Assembly; or
(b) a contemporaneous report of
the meetings of the Assembly.
unless it is shown that the
publication was made with malice
or otherwise in want of good
faith.
Section 138—Privileges of
Witnesses.
(1) Every person summoned to
attend and give evidence or to
produce any paper, book, record or
other document before a District
Assembly shall be entitled, in
respect of his evidence or the
production of the document, as the
case may be, to the same
privileges as if he were appearing
before a court.
(2) No public officer shall be
required to produce before a
District Assembly any document if
the Presiding Member of the
Assembly certifies that—
(a) the document belongs to a
class of documents which is
injurious to public interest to
produce; or
(b) the disclosure of the contents
of the document will be
prejudicial to the security of the
State.
(3) Where there is a doubt as to
whether the production of any
document referred to in subsection
(2) of this section is injurious
to public interest or prejudicial
to the security of the State, the
Presiding Member of the Assembly
shall refer the matter to the High
Court for determination whether
the production or disclosure of
the contents of the document will
be injurious to public interest or
prejudicial to the security of the
State.
(4) An answer by a person to a
question put by a District
Assembly shall not be admissible
in evidence against him in any
civil or criminal proceedings out
of the Assembly, except
proceedings for perjury brought
under the criminal law.
Section 139—Contempt of Assembly.
(1) An act which obstructs or
impedes a District Assembly in the
performance of its functions or
which obstructs or impedes a
member or officer of the Assembly
in the discharge of his duties or
affronts the dignity of the
Assembly or which tends either
directly or indirectly to produce
such a result shall be contempt of
a District Assembly.
(2) Where an act which constitutes
contempt of a District Assembly is
an offence under the criminal law,
the exercise by the District
Assembly of the power to punish
for contempt shall be without
prejudice to the institution of
proceedings under the criminal
law.
PART XIII—REGIONAL CO-ORDINATING
COUNCILS
Section 140—Establishment of
Regional Co-Ordinating Councils.
There is established for each
region in Ghana a Regional
Co-ordinating Council.
Section 141—Composition of
Regional Co-Ordinating Councils.
(1) A Regional Co-ordinating
Council shall consist of—
(a) the Regional Minister and his
deputy or deputies;
(b) the Presiding Member of each
District Assembly and the District
Chief Executive of each district
in the Region;
(c) two chiefs from the Regional
House of Chiefs elected by the
chiefs at a meeting of the House;
and
(d) the regional heads of the
decentralised ministries in the
region as members without the
right to vote.
(2) The Regional Minister shall be
the Chairman of the Regional
Co-ordinating Council.
(3) The Regional Co-ordinating
Director shall be the Secretary to
the Regional Co-ordinating
Council.
Section 142—Functions of Regional
Co-Ordinating Councils.
(1) Subject to this Act, a
Regional Co-ordinating Council
shall—
(a) monitor, co-ordinate and
evaluate the performance of the
District Assemblies in the region;
(b) monitor the use of all monies
allocated to the District
Assemblies by any agency of the
central Government;
(c) review and co-ordinate public
services generally in the Region;
and
(d) perform such other functions
as may be assigned to it by or
under any enactment.
Section 143—Planning Functions of
Regional Co-Ordinating Councils.
(1) A Regional Co-ordinating
Council shall also perform such
planning functions as may be
conferred on it by any enactment.
(2) For the purposes of subsection
(1) of this section, there shall
be established a Regional Planning
Co-ordinating Unit for every
Regional Co-ordinating Council.
(3) A Regional Planning
Co-ordinating Unit shall comprise
such professional staff as the
Regional Co-ordinating Council
shall in consultation with the
Commission direct.[As substituted
by the National Development
Planning (System) Act, 1994 (Act
480), s.20 ].
Section 144—Meetings of Regional
Co-ordinating Councils.
(1) A Regional Co-ordinating
Council shall meet at least once a
year and shall hold such other
meetings as it considers necessary
and at such times and in such
places as may be appropriate.
(2) The Regional Minister shall
convene all meetings of the
Regional Co-ordinating Council.
(3) The Regional Minister may by
notice to the members of the
Regional Co-ordinating Council
convene a special meeting of the
Regional Co-ordinating Council at
such time and place and for such
purpose as he shall specify in the
notice convening the meeting.
(4) The Regional Minister shall,
where he is present at any meeting
of the Regional Co-ordinating
Council preside at that meeting
and in his absence the Deputy
Minister present shall preside.
(5) Questions at a meeting of a
Regional Co-ordinating Council
shall be decided by a majority of
the members present and voting and
where the votes are equal, the
person presiding shall have a
second or casting vote.
(6) The quorum at a meeting of the
Regional Co-ordinating Council
shall be one-third of the
membership of the Regional
Co-ordinating Council, excluding
the heads of the Departments of
the Regional Co-ordinating
Council.
(7) The validity of the
proceedings of a Regional
Co-ordinating Council shall not be
affected by a vacancy among its
members or by a defect in the
appointment or qualification of a
member.
(8) Except as otherwise provided
the Regional Co-ordinating Council
shall regulate the procedure for
its meetings.
Section 145—Regional Minister.
(1) There shall be a Regional
Minister in every Region of Ghana
who shall be appointed by the
President with the prior approval
of Parliament and who shall be a
Minister of State.
(2) The Regional Minister shall—
(a) represent the President in the
Region;
(b) be responsible for the
co-ordination and direction of the
administrative machinery in the
Region; and
(c) exercise such powers and
perform such functions as may be
delegated to him by the President.
(3) The President may, in
consultation with the Minister of
State for a region and with the
prior approval of Parliament,
appoint for the region Deputy
Minister or Deputy Ministers to
perform such functions as the
President may determine."
Section 146—Regional Management.
(1) [Repealed by Local Government
Service Act, 2003 (Act 656),
s.36(a)].
(2) The officers and staff of the
Regional Co-ordinating Council
shall form part of the Local
Government Service on its
establishment.
(3) A Regional Co-ordinating
Director shall within three months
after the end of each financial
year prepare an annual report of
the work of the Regional
Co-ordinating Council in that year
and submit the report, after
approval by the Regional
Co-ordinating Council, to the
President and the Minister.
(4) The relationship of the
Regional Co-ordinating Director to
the Regional Minister shall be
that of a Chief Director to his
Minister.
PART XIV—MISCELLANEOUS
Section 147—Obstruction of
Officers.
Any person who—
(a) wilfully obstructs a member of
a District Assembly in the
execution of his duties; or
(b) being the occupier of any
premises, prevents the owner of
the premises from complying with
any of the requirements of the
Assembly,
commits an offence and is liable
on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢20,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a term not
exceeding one month or to both;
and in the case of a continuing
offence to a further fine not
exceeding ¢500.00 for each day on
which the offence continues.
Section 148—Penalty for
Unqualified Person Sitting or
Voting in Assembly.
Any person who—
(a) is elected or appointed as a
member of a District Assembly
while he is not qualified to be
elected or appointed and sits or
votes in the Assembly; or
(b) sits or votes in a District
Assembly after his seat in the
Assembly has become vacant or he
has become disqualified from
sitting or voting in the Assembly,
knowing or having reasonable
grounds for knowing that he is so
disqualified, or that his seat has
become vacant as the case may be,
commits an offence and is liable
on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months or to both.
Section 149—Delegation of Powers
of President or Minister.
The President, or the Minister
with the prior approval of the
Cabinet, may by executive
instrument delegate any of their
functions under this Act other
than the Minister's functions
under section 3, to any public
officer subject to such conditions
as may be specified in the
instrument.
Section 150—Supply of Information
to the President or Minister.
Every District Assembly and any
member or officer of the Assembly
shall furnish the President or the
Minister with such information as
they may require in relation to
their functions under his Act.
Section 151—Staff of Assembly to
Make Proper Account of Monies and
Properties in their Charge.
(1) A member of staff of a
District Assembly shall at such
times during the continuance of
his office, or within three months
after his ceasing to hold such
office, and in such manner as the
District Assembly or the
Auditor-General may direct, make
out and deliver to the Assembly or
as the Auditor-General may direct,
a true account in writing of all
monies and property committed to
his charge and of his receipts and
payments, with vouchers and other
documents and records supporting
the entries, list of persons from
whom or to whom money is due in
connection with his office,
showing the amount from or to
each.
(2) The person shall pay all
monies due from him to the
District Assembly, or otherwise as
the Assembly or the
Auditor-General may direct.
(3) If any person refuses or
wilfully neglects to make—
(a) any payment which he is
required under this section to
make; or
(b) out or deliver to the District
Assembly or as the Auditor-General
may direct any account or list he
is required under this section to
make out or deliver after three
days notice signed by—
(i)
the Presiding Member of the
Assembly;
(ii) three members of the
Assembly; or
(iii) the Auditor-General, and
delivered to the person's usual or
last known place of residence; or
(c) any voucher or other document
of record relating to the voucher
or to give satisfaction in respect
of the voucher to the Assembly or
as the Auditor-General may direct,
a
court having jurisdiction where
that person is or resides may, on
complaint made by the District
Assembly or officer of the
Assembly order or require him to
make such payment or delivery of
document or to give such
satisfaction.
(4) A person who wilfully neglects
to comply with the order of the
court commits an offence and is
liable on conviction to a fine not
exceeding ¢200,000.00 or to
imprisonment for a term of six
months or to both; and in the case
of continuing offence to a further
fine not exceeding ¢2,000.00 for
each day on which offence
continues.
(5) Nothing in this section shall
affect any remedy by action
against any such person or his
surety, except that the officer
shall not be both sued by action
and proceeded against under this
section for the same cause.
Section 152—Financial Interest in
District Assembly's Contracts.
(1) A member of staff of a
District Assembly who acquires
financial interest (otherwise than
as a minority share-holder in a
company) in any contract made with
or work done or execute for the
Assembly is guilty of misconduct.
(2) Subsection (1) shall not apply
to an interest in a contract or
other work which the person may
have as a ratepayer or as an
inhabitant of the District
concerned.
Section 153—Protection of Members
and Staff.
Subject to the Constitution a
member of a District Assembly or a
member of the staff of a District
Assembly or any person acting
under the direction of the
Assembly shall not be personally
liable in respect of anything done
in good faith for the purposes of
this Act.
Section 154—Recovery of Monies Due
by way of Deduction.
(1) Notwithstanding anything in
this Act, where a person is
indebted to a District Assembly in
any specific sum of money the
District Chief Executive may after
consultation with the
Attorney-General authorise the
retention by way of deduction or
set-off of the amount of the
indebtedness out of any sums of
money that be due or payable by
the Assembly to the person.
(2) Without prejudice to the
generality of subsection (1) of
this section, in the case of a
member of staff of a District
Assembly the debt owed by him to
the Assembly may unless the
Presiding Member of the District
Assembly directs in writing, be
recovered by way of deductions
from the emoluments of that person
and the Controller and
Accountant-General or other person
shall carry any reasonable request
made in writing by the District
Assembly for that purpose.
Section 155—Offences by Bodies of
Persons.
(1) Where an offence under this
Act is committed by a body of
persons the following provisions
shall have effect—
(a) where the body of persons is a
body corporate other than a
partnership, every member of the
governing body of that body
corporate and every director,
manager, secretary or similar
officer of that body shall also be
guilty of that offence; and
(b) where the body of persons is a
partnership, every partner shall
also be guilty of that offence.
(2) No person shall be guilty of
an offence by virtue of
sub-section (1) of this section if
he proves that the act in respect
of which is charged was committed
by some other person without his
consent or connivance and that he
exercised all due diligence to
prevent the commission of that
act, as he ought to have exercised
having regard to all the
circumstances.
Section 156—Proof of Acts of
Authority.
Any authorisation, notice or other
document purporting to be granted,
given or made and any act
purporting to be done by a
District Assembly under this Act
or of an instrument made under it
shall be taken to be duly granted,
given, made or done by the
Assembly without further evidence
unless the contrary is proved.
Section 157—Payment of Allowances
to Assembly Members and Staff.
Model Standing Orders made by the
Minister under section 18 of this
Act may provide for the payment of
transport and other allowances to
members of the District Assembly
and to persons invited to attend
any of the meetings of the
Assembly.
Section 158—Regulations.
The Minister may by legislative
instrument make such regulations
as he may think necessary for the
purpose of carrying into effect
the provisions of this Act.
Section 159—Amendment of
Schedules.
The Minister may with the prior
approval of Cabinet by legislative
instrument amend any of the
provisions of the Schedules to
this Act except the Seventh
Schedule.
Section 160—Amendment of Other
Enactments.
The enactments set out in the
Seventh Schedule to this Act are
amended in the manner indicated in
that Schedule.
Section 161—Departments to Cease
to Exist, Staff Transferred to
Local Government Service.
(1) Every branch, division or unit
of the Departments or
organisations specified in the
Eighth Schedule to this Act which
has been established in the
districts of Ghana and in
existence on the coming into force
of this Act, shall cease to exist
in the districts.
(2) The functions previously
performed by the branches,
divisions or units of the
Departments or organisations
specified in Eighth Schedule to
this Act shall be transferred to
the relevant Departments of the
District Assembly.
(3) The members of staff of the
branches, divisions or units of
the Departments or organisations
specified in the Eighth Schedule
to this Act shall be transferred
to the relevant Department of the
District Assembly and they shall
form part of the Local Government
Service when established.
Section 162—Interpretation.
In this Act unless the context
otherwise requires—
"Auditor-General" includes any
auditor or public officer
authorised by the Auditor-General
in writing to act in his name and
on his behalf;
"Commission" means the National
Development Planning Commission;
"community right of space" means a
road, street, foot path, pavement,
passenger terminal, parking area,
any public right of way, school
ground, hospital ground, open
space, cemetery, playing field,
square, durbar ground, market
place, public place of assembly,
or any space or ground or area for
public or community use that
exists or is so designated in an
approved settlement plan or under
the provision of any law;
"district" means the area of
authority of a District Assembly
and includes a municipality and
metropolis;
"District Assembly" includes
Municipal and Metropolitan
Assembly;
"District Chief Executive"
includes Municipal and
Metropolitan Chief Executives;
"District Planning Authority"
means the District Assembly;
"electoral area" means local
government electoral area
specified in the Schedule to each
instrument establishing a District
Assembly;
“general rate” has the meaning
assigned to it by subsection (2)
of section 96 of this Act;
"Minister" means the Minister
responsible for Local Government;
“nuisance” means any activity,
operation, works, action, neglect
or any effect of it on, in, under
or over land which is offensive,
injurious or prejudicial to
amenity, public health, public
safety, public peace, public
convenience or the local or
national economy;
“physical development” means the
carrying out of building,
engineering, mining or other
operations on, in, under or over
land, or the material change in
the existing use of land or
building and includes sub-division
of land, the disposal of waste on
land including the discharge of
effluent into a body of still or
running water and the erection of
advertisement or other hoarding;
“prescribe” means prescribed by
regulations made under section 158
of this Act;
“rating authority” means the
District Assembly for the District
concerned;
“replacement cost” has the meaning
assigned to it by subsection (10)
of section 96 of this Act;
“serviced land” means land on
which infrastructural services
including road, drainage system,
water and other utilities have
been provided;
“session” means a series of
meetings of a District Assembly
within a period of twelve months;
“special rate” has the meaning
assigned to it by subsection (2)
of section 96 of this Act;
“traditional authority” means a
House of Chiefs or any council or
body established or recognised as
such under customary law;
Section 163—Repeals and Savings.
(1) The following enactments are
by this section repealed:
Local Government Law, 1988 (P.N.D.C.L.
207);
Local Government (Amendment) Law,
1990 (P.N.D.C.L. 235);
Local Government (Amendment) (No.
2) Law, 1990 (P.N.D.C.L. 246);
Local Government (Amendment) Law,
1992 (P.N.D.C.L. 272); and
Local Government (Amendment) Law,
1993 (P.N.D.CL. 306).
(2) Notwithstanding the repeals
under subsection (1) of this
section any statutory instruments
made or continued in existence
under any of them and in force
immediately before the
commencement of this Act, shall
continue in force as if made under
corresponding provisions of this
Act.
(3) Any bye-law or instrument
(including building regulations)
or any other thing made or done by
any local authority or other body
charged with the performance of
local government functions in the
district of a District Assembly or
any part of it and in force
immediately before the
commencement of this Act shall
continue in force in that district
or part of it as if made or done
under this Act.
(4) Notwithstanding the repeal
under subsection (1) the District
Assemblies in existence
immediately before the coming into
force of this Act shall continue
in existence until the election
and appointment of new District
Assembly members.
Section 164—Coming into Force of
Sections 38 and 161.
The Minister shall by legislative
instrument prescribe the date for
the coming into force of sections
38 and 161 of this Act.
SCHEDULES
FIRST SCHEDULE
(Section 38)
DEPARTMENTS UNDER METROPOLITAN,
MUNICIPAL AND DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES
Metropolitan |
Municipal |
District |
1. Central Administration
Department. |
1. Central Administration
Department |
1. Central Administration
Department. |
2. Finance Department
|
2. Finance Department
|
2. Finance Department
|
3. Education, Youth and Sports
Department. |
3. Education, Youth and Sports
Department. |
3. Education, Youth and Sports
Department |
4. Metropolitan Health
Department |
4. Metropolitan Health
Department |
4. Metropolitan Health
Department |
5. Waste Management Department
|
5. Agriculture Department
|
5. Agriculture Department |
6. Agriculture Department |
6. Physical Planning
Department |
6. Physical Planning
Department |
7. Physical Planning
Department |
7. Social Welfare and
Community |
7. Social Welfare and
Development Department |
8. Social Welfare and
Community |
8. Natural Resources
Conservation Department |
8. Natural Resources
Department Forestry, Game and
Wildlife Division
|
9. Natural Resources
Conservation Department,
Forestry, Game and Wild-life
Division. |
9. Works Department
|
9. Works Department
|
10. Works Department |
10. Industry and Trade
Department |
10. Industry and Trade
Department |
11. Industry and Trade
Department |
11. Transport Department |
11. Disaster Prevention
Department |
12. Budget and
Rating
13. Legal
Department
|
12. Disaster Prevention
Department
13. Urban Roads |
|
14. Transport Department |
|
|
15. Disaster Prevention
Department |
|
|
16. Urban Roads |
|
|
SECOND SCHEDULE
(Section 62)
MATTERS WHICH MAY BE INCLUDED IN
BUILDING BYE-LAWS
1. The making and maintenance of
streets for the purpose of giving
access to premises.
2. The amount of space surrounding
new buildings and buildings which
are to be extended or
altered, so as to ensure free
circulation of air.
3. Building lines and the layout
of buildings.
4. The level of the ground floor
of buildings.
5. The lighting and ventilation of
buildings, the height of buildings
and the dimensions of rooms and
corridors.
6. Reducing the risk of fire in
buildings and ensuring sufficient
means of exit from new buildings
in the event of fire.
7. Preventing the construction of
buildings and other structures
which would be a disfigurement to
the town or neighbourhood or which
would not be in keeping with the
architectural character of the
neighbourhood and the execution of
any work which would tend to make
existing buildings and structures
a disfigurement to the town or
neighbourhood or which would not
be in keeping with the
architectural character of the
neighbourhood.
8. The repair and renovation of
buildings and other structures,
and compelling necessary repairs
and renovations to buildings and
other structures, to be carried
out.
9. The certification of dwelling
houses as having been constructed
in accordance with requirements of
bye-laws made under section 62 of
this Act as a condition precedent
to the habitation of the houses.
10. The construction of hoardings
and similar structures and
buildings.
11. The use of proper building
scaffolding, hoardings, machinery
and appliances in connection with
the construction, extension,
alteration, repair and renovation
of buildings and other
structures.
12. The conditions to be
satisfied by a site for any
building or for any class of
building
13. Sanitary arrangements and
conveniences of, or in connection
with new buildings.
14. Cutting into, laying and
pulling down any work suspected to
have been executed in
contravention of any bye-laws made
under section 62 of this Act or
any permit granted under the
bye-laws.
15. The designation of streets as
shopping streets or business
streets, and prescribing special
requirements to be satisfied in
respect of buildings constructed
in them.
16. The drainage of streets,
lands, compounds and new
buildings.
17. The levels, width and
construction of streets.
18. The construction of wells.
19. The preservation of trees and
other natural amenities, the
taking of steps to enhance the
beauty of the neighbourhood, the
regulation of gardening and the
care and conservation of open
spaces.
20. The period of duration of any
permit provided for under any
bye-laws and the extension of such
period, and for the revocation of
such permit if the construction of
or the execution of the work to
which it relates is not begun
within a time specified in such
permit.
21. The refusal of a permit to any
applicant who has not completed a
building or any work under a
permit previously granted to him.
22. Prescribing the forms to be
used.
23. Prescribing the fees to be
paid in respect of any matter or
thing prescribed by bye-laws.
24. The removal or alteration of
any obstruction or projection
likely to cause danger or
inconvenience to persons using any
street.
25. The giving of notices.
26. The deposit of plans,
sections, and specifications and
other particulars by persons
intending to lay out streets or to
construct, extend, alter, repair
or renovate buildings.
27. Inspection by such officers as
may be specified, and for the
maintenance of building agents on
the sites of work, and the keeping
of proper plans of the sites.
THIRD SCHEDULE
(Section 64)
NOTICE UNDER SUB-SECTION (2)
TO…………………………………………………….........................................……………………………………
TAKE NOTICE THAT you are hereby
required on or before the
........................................................................day
of 19.…… by a statement in writing
under your hand or the hand of
some person duly authorised in
that behalf by you and served upon
the District Chief Executive to
show cause, why
(a) ………………………………….which has been
constructed/executed in
contravention of
(b).........................................................................................……………..............................
should not
be………………………………………………………………………………....................
(C)...................................................................................…………………………………...
Dated this ………………………day of
………………………………………19
District Chief Executive or other
Officer
Note:
(a) give adequate particulars of
offending building, structure or
work;
(b) specify the bye-laws or
condition of permit contravened;
(c) state whether building,
structure or work is to be removed
altered or pulled down, and in the
case of alteration give adequate
particulars of alteration required
to be made.
FOURTH SCHEDULE
(Section 76)
VEHICLE LICENCES—DESCRIPTION OF
VEHICLE
Every cart, truck or wagon, not
propelled by mechanical power and
used primarily for the conveyance
of goods and provisions of other
services except any wagon, truck
or carriage used on Government
railway.
Every bicycle (other than a
bicycle belonging to an
establishment or department of
state or the Military Force or
Police Service) or other cycle not
propelled by mechanical power.
FIFTH SCHEDULE
(Section 77)
ENTERTAINMENT LICENCES
Concerts, musical or theatrical
performances, video shows,
cinemas, fairs, circuses, dances,
discotheques and other
entertainments to which admission
is to be obtained on payment of
money or reward, except where the
whole proceeds are being devoted
to charity.
Billiard
horse-racing meetings.
SIXTH SCHEDULE
(Section 86)
REVENUE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODIES
1. Entertainments Duty under the
Entertainments Duty Act, 1962 (Act
150);
2. [Repealed by Internal Revenue
(Registration of Business) Act,
2005 (Act 684) s. 11(2)];
3. Betting Tax under the Betting
Tax Act, 1965 (Act 268);
4. [Repealed by Internal Revenue
(Registration of Business) Act,
2005 (Act 684) s. 11(2)];
5. [Repealed by Internal Revenue
(Registration of Business) Act,
2005 (Act 684) s. 11(2)];
6. Rates and levies.
Levies on crops other than cocoa,
coffee, cotton and sheanuts.
7. Fees:
(i)
Cattle Pounds
(ii) Conservancy
(iii) Slaughter House
(iv) Market Dues
(v) Market Stalls/Stores
(vi) Lorry Park Dues
(vii) Advertisements
(viii) Trading Kiosks
(ix) Restoration of Conservancy
Service
(x) Graveyard Receipts
(xi) Bread Bakers
(xii) Chop Bars
(xiii) Corn Mills
(xiv) Dressing Stations
8. Licences:
(i)
Dog Licences
(ii) Hawkers
(iii) Extension of Hours
(iv) Hotels and Restaurants
(v) Beer and Wine Sellers
(vi) Petroleum Installations
(vii) Palm-wine Sellers
(viii) Akpeteshie
Distillers/Sellers
(ix) Herbalists
(x) Taxi Cabs
(xi) Lorry Parks Overseers
(xii) Taxi Drivers (Driving
Licence)
(xiii) Self-employed Artisans
(xiv) Fishing Tolls
(xv) Births and Deaths
9. [Repealed by Internal Revenue
(Registration of Business) Act,
2005 (Act 684) s. 11(2)]
10. Miscellaneous:
(i)
Town Hall/Community Centre
Receipts
(ii) District Hearse Hiring
(iii) Dislodging of latrines
(iv) Hire of Bulldozers/Grader
(v) Collection of Sand/Gravel
Stone
(vi) Slot Machines
(vii) Stool Land Revenue
(viii)
Toilet Receipts
SEVENTH SCHEDULE
(Section 160)
ENACTMENTS AMENDED
Mosquitoes Ordinance (Cap. 75)
In section 2, for the definition
of "Sanitary Authority" substitute
the following:
"Sanitary Authority" means the
Medical Officer of Health or
Sanitary Inspector for any area in
which a District Assembly is
established under the Local
Government Act, 1993 (Act 462)";
In section 3 (1), for "Sanitary
Officers, the Medical Officers of
Health" substitute "Sanitary
Authority".
Infectious Diseases (Cap. 78)
In section 2, the definition of
"Sanitary Inspector" for "District
Assembly established under the
Local Government Law, 1988 (P.N.D.C.L.
207)" substitute" District
Assembly established under the
Local Government Act, 1993 (Act
462)";
Marriage Ordinance (Cap. 127)
In section 2, to the definition of
"Council" add:
“and includes the area of
authority of a District Assembly”;
to the definition of "Registrar"
add: “and includes an officer of
the District Assembly designated
for the purpose by the District
Chief Executive;”
Interpretation Act, 1960 (C.A. 4)
In section 32 (1) for the
definition of "Local Authority"
substitute the following:
"local authority means a District
Assembly or other authority
established under the Local
Government Act, 1993 (Act . . . )
or any other authority established
in accordance with that Act";
"local government council means a
District Assembly or any other
council established under the
Local Government Act, 1993 (Act
462)".
Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220)
In section 36, for the definition
of "Council" substitute the
following:
“Council means District Assembly
or other council established under
the Local Government Act, 1993
(Act 462).”
Registration of Births and Deaths
Act, 1965 (Act 301):
In section 41,
to the definition of "district"
add "and includes the area of
authority of a District Assembly";
to the definition of "Registrar"
add "and includes an officer of
the District Assembly designated
for the purpose by District Chief
Executive";
In section 44, add the following:
“and to the area of authority of
every District Assembly, which
shall for the purposes of this Act
be deemed to have been specified
by the Minister by legislative
instrument made under this
section”.
EIGHTH SCHEDULE
(Section 161)
DEPARTMENTS OR ORGANISATIONS
CEASING TO EXIST IN DISTRICTS
(i)
Departments of Social Welfare;
(ii) Department of Community
Development;
(iii) Department of Town and
Country Planning;
(iv) Public Works Department;
(v) Department of Parks and
Gardens;
(vi) Departments of Rural Housing
and Cottage Industries;
(vii) Births and Deaths Registry;
(viii) [Deleted by Local
Government Service Act, 2003 (Act
656), s.36(b)].
(ix) Controller and
Accountant-General's Department;
(x) [Deleted by Local Government
Service Act, 2003 (Act 656),
s.36(b)].
(xi) Department of Feeder Roads;
(xii) Department of Animal Health
and Production;
(xiii) Fisheries Department;
(xiv) Agricultural Extension
Services Division;
(xv) Crops Services Division;
(xvi) Department of Agricultural
Engineering;
(xvii) Office of the District
Sports Organiser;
(xviii) Office of the National
Youth Organising Commission;
(xix) Department of Co-operatives;
(xx) [Deleted by Local Government
Service Act, 2003 (Act 656),
s.36(b)].
(xxi) Ghana Library Board;
(xxii) [Deleted by Local
Government Service Act, 2003 (Act
656), s.36(b)].
amended by
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
(SYSTEM) ACT, 1994 (ACT 480).1
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE ACT, 2003
(ACT 655).2
INTERNAL REVENUE (REGISTRATION OF
BUSINESS) ACT, 2005 (ACT 684).3
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