Ghana Tenant Union has called for the complete dissolution of the Rent Control Department, describing it as ineffective, incompetent, and a waste of public resources.

Speaking on Joy News’ The Probe on Sunday, July 27, Fredrick Opoku, the General Secretary of the Union, questioned the department’s relevance and effectiveness in protecting tenants from unlawful rent demands by landlords.

“Do we feel protected under the law? Not at all,” he stated.

“If Rent Control cannot enforce the very law they were created to uphold, then why are they still in existence?” he asked.

According to him, despite provisions in the Rent Act that prohibit landlords from demanding more than six months’ advance rent, the practice of demanding one to two years’ rent remains rampant across the country.

“Let’s not deceive ourselves — there is a clear shortage of housing in Ghana. That scarcity gives landlords unchecked power to dictate prices and conditions. They know if one tenant can’t pay, another desperate one will,” he said.

Citing Section 25 of the Rent Act, Opoku accused officials of the Rent Control Department of hiding behind technicalities and vague interpretations of the law to cover up their failures.

“They always say, ‘the landlord did not demand’ but ask any tenant — have you ever found an apartment where the landlord didn’t ask for one or two years’ rent upfront? That argument is false and out of touch with reality,” he said.

He lamented that young tenants, especially women, are paying as much as GH¢800 per month for basic accommodation, with no relief or intervention from state authorities.

“These landlords are simply cashing in. When such a matter is brought before Rent Control, nothing meaningful happens. So, we ask: what exactly is Rent Control doing? Why should taxpayers continue to fund an agency that can’t protect us?” he quizzed.

The Union is calling for a bold review of Ghana’s rent governance framework, starting with the dissolution of the Rent Control Department and the establishment of a more responsive body that genuinely serves the interest of tenants across the country.

AS/VPO

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