The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, has warned hostel owners against what he describes as illegal and exploitative accommodation charges, insisting that authorities will enforce the law where necessary.
Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Opoku said the Rent Control Department has clearly outlined its mandate and will not hesitate to act against operators who violate regulations.
“I don’t really want to respond to them because it is of no use to respond to them. As a regulator, I have drawn the line clearly for them to see, and I have stated my mandate and the powers on which I stand,” he said.
He stressed that all housing operators must comply with the laws of the country, warning that enforcement measures could include sanctions and possible closure of facilities found to be in breach.
“If they know that we have laws in the country, or they think that because they have built houses they can make their own laws, that’s fine. The law will now be tested, and they can be closed down if they go ahead to do what they are doing,” he stated.
Mr. Opoku added that no operator is above the law and insisted that rent regulations come with consequences for non-compliance.
“There are laws, and those laws come with punishment. If the laws cannot be applied, then we better not apply them at all,” he said.
He further noted that housing providers are expected to operate within established regulatory frameworks and cannot act independently of the Rent Control Department.
“You cannot operate in a vacuum and say the Rent Control Department has invoked Section 10,” he explained.
According to him, many operators have failed to comply with assessment procedures required by the department.
“We are aware that none of these operators have come for assessment. They have acted illegally and unlawfully,” he said.
Mr. Opoku said the department’s intervention was not aimed at shutting down facilities but to ensure compliance and fairness in the housing sector.
“I didn’t go there to close buildings. I only went there to interact with them after receiving a petition from NUGS, and I wanted to understand how they arrive at those huge charges,” he explained.
He added that enforcement of rent laws is necessary to prevent exploitation.
“Are we asking too much? If you want us to throw the laws away, then we are building a lawless country,” he said.
“Ghana is defined by laws, and your investments cannot be above the law.”
His comments follow a reaction from Ghana Hostels Limited, which demanded an immediate and unqualified apology over remarks he made concerning accommodation charges at the Pentagon Hostel at the University of Ghana.
In a statement dated May 13, 2026, the company said Mr. Opoku’s comments on Hitz FM were not based on adequate due diligence and had created a misleading impression about the operations of the hostel facility.
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