Acting Rent Control Commissioner Fredrick Opoku has expressed frustration over the continued practice of landlords charging rents in US dollars, as concerns over the rising cost of accommodation continue to grow among tenants in Ghana.
Speaking on Starr FM, Mr Opoku questioned why state institutions responsible for enforcing regulations on domestic transactions have not done enough to stop the practice.
He disclosed that the Rent Control Department had approached the Bank of Ghana (BoG) with a proposal to collaborate on addressing dollar-denominated rents, but said the response from the central bank had not been adequate.
‘If you don’t enforce it, how will people stop?’
The Commissioner stressed that simply issuing directives would not be enough if authorities fail to enforce them.
“If you don’t enforce it, how do you expect people to stop doing this?” he questioned.
Mr Opoku said stronger cooperation between state institutions was necessary to tackle the practice, particularly as tenants continue to complain about increasing rents.
He argued that the continued use of the US dollar to determine rent charges was not only placing additional pressure on tenants but could also have wider implications for the economy.
“Institutions ought to work together,” he stressed.
Rising rent costs add to tenants’ burden
The controversy comes at a time when finding affordable accommodation has become a major challenge for many Ghanaians, particularly in urban centres.
For tenants who earn their incomes in cedis, dollar-denominated rent can create an additional layer of uncertainty. Changes in the exchange rate can translate into significant differences in the amount they have to pay when converted into Ghana cedis.
The Rent Control Department has therefore maintained that stronger enforcement is needed to ensure compliance with regulations and protect tenants from practices that increase their financial burden.
Earlier in May, Mr Opoku disclosed that the Rent Control Department and the Bank of Ghana had begun discussions aimed at ending dollar-denominated rent payments, while also indicating that Ghana’s 1963 Rent Act needed to be updated.
The latest comments suggest that the issue remains unresolved, with the Commissioner now pressing for closer cooperation and concrete enforcement.
For thousands of tenants already struggling with high accommodation costs, the question is no longer simply how much rent they can afford, but whether the system will provide meaningful protection against charges that continue to push housing further beyond their reach.
Source: Starr FM
