The Rent Control Department is set to intensify enforcement against hostel operators accused of exploiting students and other tenants, with Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku warning that the department is moving from warnings to concrete action.

Mr Opoku said the department would begin acting on complaints and applications brought before it, particularly those involving students who have reported alleged unlawful practices by hostel operators.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, August 18, he said the Rent Control Department would no longer spend time merely talking about the challenges facing tenants.

“Now, I want to let them understand that we are not going to waste time. It's now action, no talking. And all the applications (from students) that have come before rent control, beginning Monday, they will see it live and collect.”

He said the department was determined to expose what he described as exploitation and illegal practices being perpetrated against tenants.

“I wanted the public to know the exploitation, the illegality with impunity that are perpetrating on the on the on the innocent Ghanaians. And today, rent control says we are not talking.”

As part of the planned enforcement, the Rent Control Department is working with university authorities to establish dedicated student desks across tertiary institutions.

Mr Opoku said discussions were already underway with some deans of students to create mechanisms through which students can report unlawful conduct by hostel operators directly on their campuses.

He said the initiative would allow the department to receive complaints, summon hostel operators and address cases without requiring students to navigate the process alone.

“We are setting up a student desk across the tertiary institutions and that they should report these unlawful hostel operators.”

He added that “we are going to set a desk on campus and you will see, we will sit down, call them and see the cases on campuses.”

The Acting Rent Commissioner, who was speaking from Sunyani, said he was expected back in Accra later in the week and would subsequently address the public on the department’s enforcement plans.

“I am in Sunyani today, I should be in Accra, God willing, tomorrow or Friday. When I get to Accra, I'm going to have a press conference [on Monday] and address Ghanaians for them to know when action is taken and when we are sitting on their cases.”

The planned measures come amid concerns over the treatment of students and other tenants by some hostel operators, particularly around alleged unlawful charges and other practices.

Mr Opoku's comments suggest the Rent Control Department intends to move beyond public warnings and take direct action on cases brought before it.

The proposed campus-based student desks are also expected to give students a more accessible channel to report alleged violations and seek intervention from the Rent Control Department.