Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku has accused some private hostel operators of exploiting students through the way utility charges are incorporated into accommodation fees.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Super Morning Show, Mr Opoku questioned why students in hostels with prepaid electricity meters are still required to pay fixed utility charges as part of their rent.

According to him, hostel operators should allow students to directly manage and pay for their own electricity consumption instead of bundling those costs into accommodation fees.

“Why do you box it together and justify that I give you electricity?” he questioned.

Mr Opoku argued that the current arrangement creates unfairness, especially in shared accommodation where students may have different levels of electricity usage.

“For example, we are four in a room. I don’t use a refrigerator; you use it, then all of us are charged the same amount. Is it fair?” he asked.

The Acting Rent Commissioner described the practice as one of the ways some hostel operators inflate rental costs under the guise of operational expenses.

His comments come amid growing concerns among tertiary students over rising hostel fees across major university campuses in Ghana.

Private hostels have increasingly become the preferred accommodation option for many students due to limited space in public halls of residence, leading to rising demand and higher charges.

Mr Opoku insisted that while investors have the right to recover operational costs, students should also be treated fairly and transparently.

“You are an investor. Your money that you are taking — when did it become your concern to pay electricity for the student?” he argued.

He maintained that proper rent assessment and regulation remain necessary to ensure fairness within the student accommodation sector.