President John Dramani Mahama has called on tenants to report landlords who demand illegal rent advances.
He warns that some property owners are exploiting Ghana’s housing shortage by asking for up to two years’ rent in advance.
Speaking during a discussion with Organised Labour at Jubilee House on Tuesday, March 17, President Mahama said housing is a major problem in Ghana, consuming a significant portion of household income.
He emphasized that the government, private sector, and organized labour must work together to create a social housing policy that ensures affordable housing, either through mortgages or rental options at fair rates.
“The reason private house owners are taking advantage is because of the deficit in housing. We have rent courts and rules that limit rent advance to six months. But many tenants and landlords avoid the courts, and as a result, some tenants end up paying two years’ rent advance just to secure a place to stay” he said.
President Mahama stressed that tenants must use the legal system to hold landlords accountable. “If you are asked for two years’ rent advance, you can report the landlord at the rent court, and we will hold them accountable,” he said.
Mr. Mahama cited examples of countries with successful social housing saying, “Countries have instituted social housing policies that have been very successful.
I’ve seen the Kenyan example, and Kenya has built hundreds of thousands of housing units, which they either rent or sell to government employees.”
He explained that past mortgage schemes in Ghana had failed because they were fixed in U.S. dollars. “The dollar kept sliding and was not stable. If you took a mortgage, eventually you could not pay, and the unit would be taken from you,” he said.
He added that, the government is working to stabilize the cedi to create a predictable and fair housing market.
Source : EWURA ABENA
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