UNCLAIMED PROPERTY DECREE, 1969 (NLCD 371)

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1. Unclaimed Property.

2. Arms, Jewels, Precious Metals, etc.

3. Perishable and unsaleable Goods.

4. Animals.

5. Procedure in other Cases.

6. Repayment to Owner.

7. Record to be Kept.

8. Application.

9. Repeals.

IN pursuance of the Proclamation entitled "Proclamation for the constitution of a National Liberation Council for the administration of Ghana and for other matters connected therewith", published in Gazette No. 11 of Monday, 28th February, 1966, this Decree is hereby made:—

Section 1—Unclaimed Property.

Where any article has been left or found in or upon any Government premises, and the owner is unknown or cannot reasonably be found, such article shall be disposed of as hereinafter provided.

Section 2—Arms, Jewels, Precious Metals, Etc.

Where such article is a firearm, arm, ammunition, explosive, gunpowder, munitions of war or offensive weapon of any description or any article similar to any of the foregoing, or consists of precious stones or precious metal, a senior officer of the premises in or upon which it has been left or found shall cause it to be handed to the officer in charge of the nearest police station.

Section 3—Perishable and unsaleable Goods.

Where such article is of a perishable nature or in such condition as to be wholly unsaleable it may be destroyed at any time  upon the written authority of a senior officer of the premises in or upon which it has been left or found.

Section 4—Animals.

Any animals left or found in or upon any Government premises shall be deemed to be stray cattle and may be dealt with under section 300 of the Criminal Code (Act 29).

Section 5—Procedure in Other Cases.

(1) In all other cases, a senior officer of the premises in or upon which an article has been left or found shall post a notice conspicuously outside the building which he administers specifying the article left or found upon such premises or land belonging thereto.

(2) Where the article remains unclaimed after the notice has been posted for one month it shall be sold by public auction.

(3) Where no auctioneer is readily available, the senior officer or any person appointed by him for the purpose may lawfully hold the auction, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

(4) After deducting the expenses of sale the senior officer shall cause the balance to be paid to the Controller and Accountant-General.

Section 6—Repayment to Owner.

If any person who was or appears to the Controller and Accountant-General to have been the owner of an article previous to the sale applies to the Controller and Accountant-General within one year after the sale, the Controller and Accountant-General shall pay the sum received by him to such person.

Section 7—Record to be Kept.

The senior officer of any Government premises in or upon which an article has been left or found shall keep a written record of every such article, specifying the manner in which it was disposed of, and if sold the amount realised by the sale and the expenses incurred.

Section 8—Application.

This Decree shall not apply to property in the possession of the police.

Section 9—Repeals.

The Derelict Property Ordinance (Cap. 261) is hereby repealed.

Made this 3rd day of July, 1969.

J. W. K. HARLLEY

Deputy Chairman of the National Liberation Council

Date of Gazette Notification: 18th July, 1969.