Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister of Works and Housing, has stated that the government is in the midst of implementing a national rental plan that would assist offer rent advances for its employees in order for them to pay their rentals.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, he added that section 25 of the Rent Act 1963, Act 220, prohibits landlords from taking more than six months’ rent in advance, but that this only exists on the books because landlords charge between one and two years, and sometimes even more.
He also mentioned that the landlords take advantage of the high housing deficit in the country to charge tenants exorbitant prices.
For these reasons, he said the ministry is in process of submitting the Rent Control Act to Parliament for review and amendment to handle the rent issues frustrating renters in the country.
“The review of the rent act is necessary in light of the shortcoming of the existing Rent Act 1963, Act 220 and the Rent Control Law 1986, PNDC law 138, which do not significantly address current challenges in the rental housing industry.
“The ministry submitted a memorandum and received policy approval from the cabinet in February 2022 for the review of the existing rent act. The ministry is working with the office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice on the draft rent bill. It will eventually be brought before this august House for consideration and approval after an extensive stakeholder engagement.”
According to Mr Asenso Boakye, the bill, if approved by the House, will provide the framework for a comprehensive restructuring of the Rent Control Department to make it more effective and efficient while offices would be created in all districts of the country.
The Minister who is also a Member of Parliament for Bantama Constituency in the Ashanti Region indicated that to enhance the delivery of service standards of the rent control department, the Ministry of Works and Housing is collaborating with the Ministry of Communication and Digitalization to digitize the operations of the department.
“As a result, a technical team comprising of National Information and Communication Technology Agency (NITA) and the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, has presented a technical report which has recommended among other things the design and architecture of systems to achieve full digitalization of the rent control department. This exercise will commence at the national and later be linked to the region and district offices.”
