A policy championed by former Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has been hailed as impactful, making positive contributions to the lives of many Ghanaians.

The National Rent Assistance Scheme, which Dr Bawumia spearheaded to support working Ghanaians to pay their rent and repay the amount in instalments, was launched in 2023.

Dr Bawumia conceived the idea after a visit to the offices of the National Rent Control Department, where he expressed concern about exorbitant rent charges and the widespread demand by landlords for full rent advances, contrary to existing laws.

To address these challenges, the scheme was introduced with an initial seed funding of GH₵30 million from the then government to provide soft loans to eligible workers.

The programme was launched under the stewardship of the then Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye.

Three years after the launch of the policy, the new Minister of Housing, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has praised its impact, describing it as a major success.

Speaking during the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, January 28,2026, Adjei said the initiative has eased the financial burden on Ghanaians.

Since its inception in 2023, the scheme has supported over 4,700 beneficiaries, recording an impressive 99 per cent loan recovery rate.

“At its inception, the scheme received GH₵27 million in seed funding. Over time, both principal and interest have rolled over, resulting in GH₵71.7 million now available, demonstrating the scheme’s financial sustainability,” the minister stated.

At the launch of the programme in 2023, Dr Bawumia announced that it would be piloted in six regions, Greater Accra, Bono East, Northern, Eastern, Western and Ashanti. The initiative has since recorded remarkable success, with the housing minister revealing that 2,031 individuals benefited from the scheme in 2025 alone.

Following these achievements, the minister disclosed that the government intends to expand the scheme to cover additional regions.

“The eligibility criteria, application process and beneficiaries’ success stories confirm its impact in addressing housing needs. The government is preparing to scale the scheme nationwide across all 16 regions in the short to medium term,” he said.

Meanwhile, several Ghanaians reacting to the development on social media have commended Dr Bawumia for initiating what they describe as a thoughtful and impactful policy.

Others have also praised the housing minister for his candid assessment of the programme and the decision to sustain it.

At the launch of the National Rent Assistance Scheme in 2023, which was attended by key stakeholders including the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr Bawumia recalled his visit to the National Rent Control Department and the frustrations expressed by many Ghanaians over rent-related challenges.

He commended the Ministry of Housing for its cooperation and urged officials to ensure the success of the scheme to enable its expansion to other parts of the country within a short period.

Minority Caucus defends call for Okudzeto Ablakwa's resignation