Government's free rent advance ‘is not free money’ - Nana Akomea

A member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications team, Nana Akomea, has disclosed that government’s promise to pay the rent advance of the youth in its second term won’t be for free.

The governing NPP promised to pay the rent advance of Ghanaian youth in its second term to cushion the youth from the high cost of long advance rent.

Nana Akomea in a speech delivered during the party’s presser on Monday, October 26, stated that “the NPP government in its next term will eliminate the big problem of rent advance facing the youth and indeed many other Ghanaians.”

He indicated that government will set up a seed capital of about $100 million to solve the issue of rent and rent advance.

However, the NPP’s promise has been met with divided opinions from the public questioning if the payment of the monies to landlords/ladies is indeed free.

But addressing the issue on the Friday edition of Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV, the Managing Director of the State Transport Company (STC) emphatically stated that the money for government's rent advance is not free money hence beneficiaries will payback with interest.

“Because it is not free money, you are going to pay back. So if you rent a place which is GH¢100 a month you will pay back GH¢100 with 50 pesewas, if you rent a place which is GH¢2,000 you will pay more to the scheme.”

He further noted that all anomalies in the scheme will be addressed before being passed by the next parliament if the NPP retains power.