President John Dramani Mahama has called for tougher enforcement to stop exploitation in the housing industry and advised tenants to report landlords who want rent increases beyond what is allowed by law.
In an interview with Organised Labour at Jubilee House on Tuesday, March 17, the president stated that growing housing costs are burdening households and making it harder for them to find affordable housing.
“Housing is a major problem, and for households, it is consuming their income. We need to have a national housing dialogue to decide how the private sector, government, and labour can come together to develop a social housing policy that ensures affordable housing for workers, whether through mortgages or rental options,” he stated.
President Mahama blamed the nation’s housing shortage for the rising demand for exorbitant rent advances, pointing out that unscrupulous landlords take advantage of the situation to charge renters illegally.
“The reason private house owners are taking advantage is because of the housing deficit. We have the rent court, and the law says no more than six months’ rent advance, but both tenants and landlords are often unwilling to go to the rent court,” he added.
He assured tenants that anyone who engaged in such behavior would face consequences and urged them to take decisive action by reporting them to the relevant authorities.
“You can report such landlords to the rent court, and we will ensure they are held accountable,” he emphasised.
The President’s remarks coincide with the public’s rising concern about the pervasive practice of landlords requesting up to two years’ rent in advance, a practice that is frequently denounced as exploitative and illegal.
