Article 263 of the Constitution of Ghana

(c) he is removed from office by the President or, in the case of a member of a Regional Lands Commission, by the Minister responsible for l ands and natural resources for inability to perform the functions of his office or for stated m isbehaviour. 265. INDEPENDENCE OF LANDS COMMISSION. Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution o r in any other law which is not inconsistent with this Constitution, the Lands Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority, in the performance of i ts functions. Ownership of land by Non-Citizens 266. OWNERSHIP OF LAND BY NON-CITIZENS. (1) No interest in, or right over, any land in Ghan a shall be created which vests in a person who is not a citizen of Ghana a freehold interest i n any land in Ghana. (2) An agreement, deed or conveyance of whatever na ture, which seeks, contrary to clause (1) of this article, to confer on a person who is not a citizen of Ghana any freehold interest in, or right over, any land is void. (3) Where, on the twenty-second day of August 1969, any person not being a citizen of Ghana had a freehold interest in or right over any land i n Ghana, that interest or right shall be deemed to be a leasehold interest for a period of f ifty years at a peppercorn rent commencing from the twenty-second day of August 1969, and the freehold reversionary interest in any such land shall vest in the President on behalf of, and in trust for, the people of Ghana. (4) No interest in, or right over, any land in Ghan a shall be created which vests in a person who is not a citizen of Ghana a leasehold for a ter m of more than fifty years at any one time. (5) Where on the twenty-second day of August 1969 a ny person not being a citizen of Ghana had a leasehold interest in, or right over, any lan d in Ghana for an unexpired period of more than fifty years, that interest in, or right over, any such land shall be deemed to be an interest or right subsisting for a period of fifty years com mencing from the twenty-second day of August 1969. Stool and Skin Lands and Property 267. STOOL AND SKIN LANDS AND PROPERTY. (1) All stool lands in Ghana shall vest in the appr opriate stool on behalf of, and in trust for the subjects of the stool in accordance with customary law and usage. (2) There shall be established the Office of the Ad ministrator of Stool Lands which shall be responsible for— (a) the establishment of a stool land account for e ach stool into which shall be paid all rents, dues, royalties, revenues or other payments whether in the nature of income or capital from the stool lands; (b) the collection of all such rents, dues, royalti es, revenues or other payments whether in the nature of income or capital, and to account for the m to the beneficiaries specified in clause (6) of this article; and (c) the disbursement of such revenues as may be det ermined in accordance with clause (6) of this article. (3) There shall be no disposition or development of any stool land unless the Regional Lands Commission of the region in which the land is situa ted has certified that the disposition or development is consistent with the development plan drawn up or approved by the planning authority for the area concerned. (4) Where the Regional Lands Commission fails or re fuses to give the consent and concurrence under clause (3) of this article, a per son aggrieved by the failure or refusal may appeal to the High Court. (5) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, no interest in, or right over, any stool land in Ghana shall be created which vests in any person or body of persons a freehold interest howsoever described. (6) Ten per cent of the revenue accruing from stool lands shall be paid to the office of the Administrator of Stool Lands to cover administrativ e expenses; and the remaining revenue shall be disbursed in the following proportions— (a) twenty-five percent to the stool through the tr aditional authority for the maintenance of the stool in keeping with its status; (b) twenty percent to the traditional authority; an d (c) fifty-five percent to the District Assembly, wi thin the area of authority of which the stool lands are situated. (7) The Administrator of Stool Lands and the Region al Lands Commission shall consult with the stools and other traditional authorities in all matters relating to the administration and development of stool land and shall make available to them all relevant information and data. (8) The Lands Commission and the Administrator of S tool lands shall co-ordinate with all relevant public agencies and traditional authoritie s and stools in preparing a policy framework for the rational and productive development and man agement of stool lands. (9) Parliament may provide for the establishment of Regional branches of the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands to perform, subject to the directions of the Administrator of Stool Lands, the functions of the Administrator in the region concerned. Protecting Natural Resources 268. PARLIAMENTARY RATIFICATION OF AGREEMENTS RELAT ING TO NATURAL RESOURCES. (1) Any transaction, contract or undertaking involv ing the grant of a right or concession by or on behalf of any person including the Government of Ghana, to any other person or body of persons howsoever described, for the exploitation o f any mineral, water or other natural resource of Ghana made or entered into after the co ming into force of this Constitution shall be subject to ratification by Parliament. (2) Parliament may, by resolution supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds of all the members of Parliament, exempt from the provisions o f clause (1) of this article any particular class of transactions, contracts or undertakings. 269. NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSIONS. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, Parliament shall, by or under an Act of Parliament, provide for the establishment, within s ix months after Parliament first meets after the coming into force of this Constitution, of a Mi nerals Commission, a Forestry Commission, Fisheries Commission and such other Commissions as Parliament may determine, which shall be responsible for the regulation and management of the utilization of the natural resources concerned and the co-ordination of the policies in relation to them. (2) Notwithstanding article 268 of this Constitutio n, Parliament may, upon the recommendation of any of the Commissions establishe d by virtue of clause (1) of this article, and upon such conditions as Parliament may prescrib e, authorise any other agency of government to approve the grant of rights, concessi ons or contracts in respect of the exploitation of any mineral, water or other natural resource of Ghana.