The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, has maintained that the Rent Control Department has jurisdiction over private buildings and premises across Ghana, except state-owned facilities.

Mr Opoku said the authority was derived from Section 1 of the Rent Control Act, 1963 (Act 220), which mandates the department to regulate rent-related matters involving private premises.

He clarified on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, during a heated discussion with the Chairman of the Hostel Owners Association, Bishop Owusu-Bi.

Bishop Owusu-Bi had challenged the department’s authority to regulate hostel operators, arguing that even though the Rent Control Department had jurisdiction over their businesses, the approach by Mr Opoku is unacceptable.

Mr Opoku, however, insisted that the law was clear on the department’s mandate and that hostel operators were not exempt from rent control regulations.

"I will let the association understand today that the Rent Control has jurisdiction over all premises in Ghana, and that is stated clearly by an Act of Parliament. That tells you the mandate of the Rent Control, which hostel operators are not exempted from.

The only place which dont have jurisdiction over is government-owned properties. Properties which government is a landlord, apart from that, every premise in this country is being regulated, and it must be regulated by the Act," he said.

"Private hostels are not outside the law simply because they are investors; they should take note," he added.

The disagreement comes amid intensified efforts by the Rent Control Department to regulate hostel fees and address concerns over alleged excessive charges and other practices affecting students and tenants.

The department has recently announced measures to enforce rent regulations, including requiring landlords and hostel operators to obtain rent cards and warning against unlawful rent increases.