Chairman of the Hostel Owners Association, Bishop Dr Akwasi Owusu, has accused the Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, of overstepping his mandate by conducting inspections of private student hostels.
According to him, existing regulatory bodies, including the Ghana Tourism Authority, Ghana National Fire Service and the Police, already inspect and regulate student accommodation facilities before they are licensed to operate.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Bishop Dr Owusu said he had personally raised the issue with the Rent Commissioner and reminded him of the provisions of the Rent Act.
“I even told him that the law and the Rent Act do not permit him to go around inspecting hostels like that. There are already regulatory bodies responsible for these inspections,” he said.
He explained that hostel operators are subjected to regular inspections by the relevant agencies to ensure that their facilities meet the required standards before licences are issued.
“These regulatory bodies, including the Tourism Authority, Fire Service, Police and others, come every year to inspect the facilities. They check everything to ensure that it is in order before they license you,” he said.
Bishop Owusu argued that the Rent Commissioner’s actions could undermine the work of the institutions legally mandated to regulate and inspect such facilities.
He further said the definition of “premises” under the law should also be considered when determining the Rent Commissioner’s authority to inspect private hostels.
“The law has a definition of premises, and it is clearly stated there. He just wants to breach the laws, and we are not kids,” he said.
His comments come after the Rent Commissioner described conditions in some private student accommodation facilities as “appalling” and “shocking” following inspections triggered by a petition from the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS).
He explained that he decided to personally inspect the facilities after receiving the NUGS petition to determine whether the concerns raised reflected the actual conditions on the ground.
Bishop Owusu, however, maintained that hostel owners should be engaged through the appropriate regulatory channels and accused the Rent Commissioner of attempting to gain public favour by focusing on hostel conditions without adequately considering the existing regulatory framework.
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