'Bring application for me to act on or continue keeping quiet and pay your hostel fees' — Rent Commissioner tells students

The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, has urged students who are concerned about high hostel fees to actively participate in the enforcement process by presenting an application to the Rent Control Department to officially act on their grievances.

He said without a formal application, the Rent Control Department, by law, can only do little.

Frederick Opoku noted that the official request will only form the basis for the Department to act in accordance with the law.

His comments come amid growing concerns over the rising cost of private student accommodation across Ghana, with students and parents increasingly calling for measures to make hostel fees more affordable.

Speaking on the issue, Mr Opoku expressed frustration over what he described as the unwillingness of some students to formally report cases involving excessive hostel charges.

“You cannot sit in your homes and hostels and ask the Rent Commissioner to ensure that hostel fees are reduced. You have a duty to contribute to the enforcement process,” he stated.

He further stated that he had already done enough in his efforts to address concerns surrounding private hostel charges and would not continue visiting hostel facilities individually to negotiate with owners.

“I have done enough, and I am not moving to any hostel again. I cannot go around from hostel to hostel asking hostel owners to reduce their fees,” he said.

Mr Opoku therefore encouraged students who believe they are being overcharged to submit formal applications to the Rent Control Department, which would provide a basis for the authorities to investigate and take appropriate action.

“Make an application for me to act on, or shut up and go and pay your hostel fees,” he added.

The Acting Rent Commissioner has in recent months taken a firm position on the regulation of private hostel charges. In May 2026, the Rent Control Department directed private hostel owners and operators to suspend planned increases in fees for the 2026/2027 academic year pending consultations with stakeholders.

Mr Opoku has also maintained that private student hostels fall within the scope of rent regulation and that his office is prepared to assess hostel facilities and determine appropriate rents.

In August, he disclosed that about 100 applications from private hostel operators were before the department for assessment.

The debate over hostel fees has intensified as students continue to complain about the financial burden of securing accommodation, particularly around major tertiary institutions.

Mr Opoku has previously criticised what he considers excessive hostel charges and described some accommodation arrangements as exploitative, citing cases where students were paying thousands of cedis despite poor or overcrowded living conditions.