Rent Control Department part of the implementation of Rent Assistance Scheme – PRO

The Rent Control Department says it was part of the formulation and execution of the Rent Assistance Scheme.

Public Relations Officer for the Department, Emmanuel Kporsu speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5fm, said they were part of the entire process.

He revealed that the governing NPP set up a ‘Project Management Committee’ with membership from Rent Control, Attorney General’s office, Finance Ministry, Works, and Housing Ministry, and other agencies to implement the policy.

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, launched the innovative National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS) which was NPP’s campaign promise in 2020.

The NRAS is designed to make rental accommodation more accessible, affordable, and convenient by taking away the unfair burden faced by lower-income households and the youth across the country of multi-year rent advance payments demanded by landlords.

The Scheme will target individuals in the formal and informal sectors with identifiable and regular income. The rent advance loans will be paid directly into landlords’ bank accounts, who would also have to register with the Scheme.

The initial rollout, with a seed funding of GHs 30m, will take place in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Western, Eastern, Bono East, and Northern Regions, where data from the Ghana Statistical Service shows renters have the greatest challenge with rental accommodation, he said at the launch.

Mr. Kporsu explained the scheme would pay the advance on behalf of the tenant directly to the landlord, and the tenant is expected to repay the money to the scheme every month.

He stated that a person earning GHCc1,000 per month cannot rent a room charged at GHC300, whereas the maximum amount that the scheme will pay on behalf of an applicant to rent a room is GHC1,500.

"The scheme was designed for low-income citizens. And so, if you get a mansion and they charge you GHC2,000 a month, we cannot help you. Beyond Ghc1,500, we will fail you when you apply for the scheme.”