Article 257 — Public Lands and other Public Property

(1) All public lands in Ghana shall be vested in th e President on behalf of, and in trust for, the people of Ghana. (2) For the purposes of this article, and subject t o clause (3) of this article, “public lands” includes any land which, immediately before the com ing into force of this Constitution, was vested in the Government of Ghana on behalf of, and in trust for, the people of Ghana for the public service of Ghana, and any other land acquire d in the public interest, for the purposes of the Government of Ghana before, on or after that da te. (3) For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declar ed that all lands in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana which immediately b efore the coming into force of this Constitution were vested in the Government of Ghana are not public lands within the meaning of clauses (1) and (2) of this article. (4) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, all lands referred to in clause (3) of this article shall vest in any person who was the owner of the land before the vesting, or in the appropriate skin without further assurance than thi s clause. (5) Clauses (3) and (4) of this article shall be wi thout prejudice to the vesting by the Government in itself of any land which is required in the public interest for public purposes. (6) Every mineral in its natural state in, under or upon any land in Ghana, rivers, streams, water courses throughout Ghana, the exclusive econo mic zone and any area covered by the territorial sea or continental shelf is the propert y of the Republic of Ghana and shall be vested in the President on behalf of, and in trust for the people of Ghana. Lands Commission