Private hostel operators have appealed to the Rent Control Department to grant them one month to form an association to enable structured engagement with the Commissioner.
They said the move would allow for better dialogue and representation, particularly as they sought to address concerns raised about their operations.
The operators also expressed concern about what they described as negative portrayals in the media, saying they had been “criminalised” and labelled unfairly despite making significant investments in their facilities.
Mr Philip Cobbinah of Heaven Gate Hostel made the appeal at a formal engagement between the Rent Control Department and private hostel operators in Accra yesterday.
The meeting, organised by the department, was to give both parties the opportunity to gain first-hand information about their operations and challenges, with the aim of arriving at practical solutions.
The engagement follows a petition by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), which called for investigations into hostel pricing structures within and around tertiary institutions.
The petition also demanded strict enforcement of the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), sanctions against property owners and hostel operators who flout the law, clear guidelines for hostel pricing, stronger monitoring and enforcement, and the establishment of accessible complaint and redress mechanisms.
Mr Cobbinah said such engagements would help sensitise operators on the assessment processes under the Rent Act, 1963, which is currently being enforced by the department.
The Commissioner of the Rent Control Department, Mr Frederick Opoku, who accepted the request, said the formation of an association would benefit both operators and students who patronise their facilities.
He explained that, as a regulator mandated to promote compliance in rental matters, the department must objectively consider the concerns of all stakeholders to ensure harmony in the sector.
Mr Opoku said the engagement with hostel managers and other stakeholders was not intended to apportion blame or make predetermined conclusions, but rather to create an opportunity for open dialogue, mutual learning and collaboration.
He added that through compliance with the provisions of the Rent Act, stakeholders could jointly identify practical solutions to promote transparency, accountability and best practices in hostel management.
The meeting was also used to sensitise hostel managers on the department’s planned assessment of hostels, as well as the introduction of a hostel application designed to support their operations.
BY LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU
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