Lawyer and Executive Chairman of Comet Properties, Nana Odeneho Kyeremateng, has advised Ghanaians who earn enough income to desist from renting accommodation.

Speaking to host of PM Express Business Edition, George Wiafe on Thursday, he urged such individuals to rather acquire lands and build their own houses.

"I don't know what is in your pocket but don't rent. If you have the means to acquire, don't rent. If you have the opportunity and means, build a house," he said.

According to Nana Kyeremateng, owning a piece of land is lucrative as it is not affected by inflation or depreciation of the exchange rate in the long run.

For him, hiring the services of experts such as architects, engineers, and not relying on self-knowledge is the best way to go when building.

"You build a house by getting the necessary technical people and you provide the support services for them to supervise a contractor and then deliver. It is your own building, you didn't buy it, you had the land and you build it by getting the architect, engineers who take care of structures, and the horticulture who will take care of the surroundings, plumbing, and the electrician.

"Don't say that you are going to build by physically rushing to the site to see whether the mason was doing the work, because at the end of the day, the mason may not be doing the right thing but you are not a technical person to know. Let's construct houses in a more professional way," he explained.

Nana Odeneho Kyeremateng further noted that the building of houses without due diligence has resulted in many areas in the country not being connected to the national grid or getting supplied with potable drinking water.

Following this, he said many end up threatening the government to fix such challenges or risk losing their votes.

"If you are passing around, most of the buildings are nothing to write home about. But at the end of the day, they were built. When they finish, they tell the government, whoever is in power, with placards that 'no electricity in this area, we will not vote for you.' They will harass the government."

According to him, it is the duty of the Municipal Authority per the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, (ACT125) and the Local Government and Decentralization Act, (ACT 936) to provide the facilities of road, and electricity.

Should the Municipal Authority be unable to take up the task, "then a real estate company can do so, and place a development levy or charge."

Holding the assertion that laws are made to make man's living better, Mr Kyeremateng stated that persons who do not pay the development levy should be refused a building permit.

"You should never be given a permit to build unless you pay the development levy. After paying the development levy, then you go ahead to pay the building permit. The building permit is to handle the integrity of the building."