Review Rent Control Laws - Minister

Accra, Sept.25, GNA - Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Minister of Works and Housing on Thursday said discipline has to be instilled into rental accommodation and that the Rent Control Law would be reviewed. "Laws governing accommodation and rents in the country are outmoded and needed to be reviewed to instil some discipline among housing agents, tenants and landlords.

"Litigations, double sale of lands and double house rentals, dubious landlords and tenants as well as crook housing agents coupled with outmoded rent control laws have given the housing sector a bad image that needs to be redeemed."

Alhaji Idris, whose speech was read on his behalf at the inauguration of the Ghana Real Estate Marketing Association (GREMA) urged the association to collaborate with the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) to instil discipline among its members. GREDA aims to bring order and sanity into the Real Estate Development and Marketing industry through institutionalisation of regulatory measures to control its members to ensure equity and fair play.

Madam Theresa Tagoe, Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry, who inaugurated the Association reminded the members that investors wanted to have secure access to land and property to enable them to go about their businesses without any hindrance.

She said the Ministry, under the auspices of the Land Administration Programme has adopted policy directives to streamline the operations of the Land Sector Agencies to improve efficiency.

The ultimate aim is to create a one-stop shop where applicants will present their documents at the front desk and will be given the date of collection of the processed document - Indenture or certificate.

A number of Traditional Authorities will also be supported to set up secretariats for the effective management of their lands. It is believed that this will reduce the problems of double sale of lands and the general indiscipline in the land market.

Mr Brandford D. K. Adu, President of GREDA, who chaired the inauguration called for a strong lobbyist group in the Real Estate industry to pressurize government and other institutions to check unauthorized estate developments in the country.