Civil Society Group, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) believes government needs to take a critical look at the current rent and housing regime in the country.
According to the group, the government seems to have absolutely neglected the housing sector, with rent and housing suffering the most.
“The Housing sector is one of the many areas which has suffered successive Government neglect. Apart from the political twists to most government housing programs and Initiatives, most of such initiatives have been geared towards so-called affordable housing projects invariably neglecting the housing legal and regulatory regimes,” a statement from ASEPA noted.
The statement signed by Executive Director of ASEPA, Mensah Thompson stated that the group had called on the government to look at several laws governing the housing legal and regulatory regime but to no avail.
“The lack of favourable laws, the non-enforcement of existing laws and weak housing regulatory mechanisms have negatively affected the ordinary Ghanaian’s access to decent housing. We have called for the strict enforcement of the maximum 6 months rent advance law and yet land and property owners still demand 2 to 3 years advance payment from Ghanaians in total contravention of the law. A quick scan at the property market now shows at least 60-70% of most properties either for rent or for sale with prices quoted in dollars, also a clear violation of the law.”
ASEPA added that “a comprehensive housing regulatory proposal would be developed and sent to the Minister for Works and Housing for Consideration”.
Read the full statement below
64TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY, GOVT MUST TAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE CURRENT RENT AND HOUSING REGIME-ASEPA
Ghana is 64 years and just as many developing Countries, it is still faced with a number of challenges.
This year we want to single out the current rent and housing regime for our special annual advocacy.
The Housing sector is one of the many areas which has suffered successive Government neglect.
Apart from the Political twists to most Government Housing Programs and Initiatives, most of such initiatives have been geared towards so called affordable housing projects invariably neglecting the housing legal and regulatory regimes.
The lack of favourable laws, the non-enforcement of existing laws and weak housing regulatory mechanisms have negatively affected the ordinary Ghanaian’s access to decent housing.
We have called for the strict enforcement of the maximum 6months rent advance law and yet land and property owners still demand 2 to 3 years advance payment from Ghanaians in total contravention of the law.
A quick scan at the property market now shows at least 60-70% of most properties either for rent or for sale with prices quoted in dollars, also a clear violation of the law.
Property Agents are still exhobitantly charging 10% from property buyers and rent seekers.
We have called for a policy to share the agent cost between the buyers and sellers of the property.
The agent links the buyer to seller and vice versa, the services of the agent is rendered to both parties and such cost shouldn’t be borne by just one party.
We have also called for the rent control agency to be lifted to an authority status with more regulatory powers to enforce rent and property laws.
In pursuing this, Government should also take a critical look at the cost of building materials, major reductions in the taxes on building materials, tax rebates to landowners to develop affordable housing units and stability in the exchange rate can all go a long way to help the current housing deficiencies while protecting property owners and their investments.
Special emphasis on construction education and capacity building of Ghanaian contractors and construction workers would also help reduce the importation of construction labour from neighbouring Countries which also comes at great cost to developers and ultimately translating into high properties rates on the market.
A comprehensive housing regulatory proposal would developed and sent to the Minister for Works and Housing for Consideration.
