Mr Rashid Ibrahim, President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), says students are being forced out of school with the high increment in university hostels facilities.
He said the services provided by majority of the hostels did not match the amount of money the facility managers charged.
Mr Ibrahim said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on concerns raised by some university students in the country on the increment of their hostel accommodation fees.
He said the situation was breeding inequality for students from less-to-do families who could not afford such high accommodation fees.
“University of Ghana’s Vikings Hostel one-in-a-room with AC, previously priced at GH¢28,200, will now cost GH¢38,070 under the newly approved rates for the 2026 academic year,” he added.
Mr Ibrahim disclosed that some hostel operators even charged students two years’ rent advance which was against the law.
He called on the Government, particularly the Minister of Education, to intervene to bring relief to affected students.
He commended the Rent Control Department for embarking on a tour of selected hostels to assess the “unjustified increases in hostel prices by managers.”
Mr Samuel Amegayibor, the Executive Director of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association, said the issue had to do with demand and supply as well as the increased cost of building.
He said the problem should not be one-sided, calling for a broader engagement with all sides, including developers.
“We need to find out the cost of building of hostels, and the pricing strategies. Some of these hotels could be expensive because they factor in amenities and other expenses, such as water and electricity bills in the price,” he said.
“I agree that some hostel facilities do not meet their pricing criteria, but we need not lump all of them together.”
Meanwhile, the Government has set up a committee to address concerns over rising hostel fees in tertiary institutions across the country.
The committee comprises representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, and university authorities.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education, announced this on Tuesday, May 12, during the inauguration of the governing councils for Jasikan College of Education and the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences in Accra.
He said consultations were ongoing among committee members to find an amicable and sustainable solution to the impasse.
Mr Iddrisu expressed concern over the increasing hostel fees and stated that private participation in student accommodation should not lead to exploitation.
He explained that while government welcomed private collaboration in developing educational infrastructure, such arrangements must operate within safeguards that protected students and upheld the public interest.
Source: GNA
