Former KNUST SRC President, Dr. Samuel Sesah, has proposed sweeping reforms to tackle the growing cost of hostel accommodation for students across Ghana’s tertiary institutions.
In a social media post addressing the issue of rising hostel rents near universities such as KNUST, the University of Ghana, and the University of Cape Coast, Dr. Sesah argued that the crisis requires comprehensive structural reforms rather than temporary interventions.
“The problem is structural, high demand, low supply, weak enforcement of the Rent Act, and no price transparency,” he wrote.
According to him, hostel rents around major tertiary institutions “have been rising faster than inflation and student incomes,” worsening the financial burden on students and parents.
Dr. Sesah stated that “a one-off price cap won’t fix it,” insisting that authorities must adopt a coordinated strategy focused on “supply, data, enforcement, and tenant protection together.”
Among the reforms proposed by the former student leader is the mandatory digital registration of all student hostels within a two-kilometre radius of public tertiary institutions through the Rent Control Department’s portal.
He explained that the system should capture details including location, room type, facilities, pricing, and lease terms to improve transparency in the sector.
“You can’t regulate what you don’t measure. Right now landlords raise prices in the dark,” he noted.
Dr. Sesah also called for the launch of a public “Student Hostel Price Dashboard” to allow students to compare accommodation costs in real time.
In addition, he proposed annual rent increase reporting requirements for hostel operators, suggesting that any increase above inflation plus five percent should trigger automatic review by authorities.
On student protection, Dr. Sesah advocated the establishment of Student Housing Offices in all public universities to accredit hostels, handle complaints, and publish approved accommodation lists.
“No accreditation, then no university recommendation,” he stated.
He further proposed Student Rent Mediation Units jointly run by SRCs and the Rent Control Department, as well as compulsory financial literacy programmes for first-year students to educate them on tenancy agreements, scams, and housing rights.
To address the supply deficit, Dr. Sesah urged government to pursue public-private partnership hostel projects on university lands, provide tax incentives for affordable hostels, and convert underutilised public properties into student accommodation facilities.
“Prices drop when supply catches up with demand,” he stressed.
The former KNUST SRC President also called for stronger enforcement of the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), arguing that the law “exists but is barely enforced.”
He proposed the establishment of Student Rent Tribunals in Accra, Kumasi, Cape Coast and Tamale to fast-track rent disputes within 14 days.
Dr. Sesah further recommended sanctions ranging from GH¢10,000 to GH¢50,000, including suspension of hostel licences for illegal evictions, unregistered hostels, and unlawful rent increases.
He maintained that without bold and coordinated reforms, concerns over exorbitant hostel fees would continue to affect thousands of students nationwide.
