News
Housing shortfall driving rent advance exploitation – John Dramani Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has attributed the growing issue of excessive rent advance payments in Ghana to the country’s housing deficit.
He made the remarks during a public engagement on housing and sanitation in Accra on Thursday March 19,2026, where he outlined challenges facing households and proposed solutions to improve access to affordable housing.
He explained that the shortage of housing has created a situation where private landlords take advantage of tenants by demanding more than the legally approved rent advance.
He noted that although the law limits rent advance to six months, both tenants and landlords often avoid the rent courts and settle such arrangements privately.
He added that tenants, in most cases, agree to pay up to two years’ rent in advance because they urgently need accommodation and fear losing available spaces.
According to him, the situation continues because of the gap between housing demand and supply.
He called for a national housing dialogue involving government, the private sector and organised labour to develop a social housing policy.
He stressed that such a policy would help provide affordable housing options for workers, either through mortgage schemes or rental arrangements at reasonable prices.
He also pointed to successful housing models in countries like Kenya, where large scale housing projects have been implemented for public sector workers.
He further explained that past mortgage systems in Ghana discouraged home ownership because they were tied to the US dollar, making repayment difficult due to currency fluctuations.
He said stability of the local currency is key to improving mortgage accessibility, adding that predictable depreciation would allow workers to plan and manage payments more effectively.
He urged stakeholders to work together to maintain a stable economy, noting that it would benefit both homeowners and prospective buyers.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Tema Regional Police Command has arrested a 30-year-old driver, Bismark Kpormeno, for possession of a large quantity of compressed plant materials suspected to be Indian hemp.
The arrest was made on Sunday, 31 May 2026 by officers of the Tema Highway Patrol Unit during an operation along the Tema-Ada road.
According to police, the suspect was driving a Hyundai Mighty I container truck and failed to stop when signaled. He attempted to evade arrest but was pursued and apprehended at Bondase.
A search of the vehicle revealed twelve 12 sacks and eighty 80 parcels of compressed plant materials concealed in a container and wrapped in sellotape.
Preliminary investigations show the narcotics were allegedly loaded at Kpeve in the Volta Region and were being transported to Ada.
The suspect is currently in police custody assisting with investigations. The truck and exhibits have been impounded for evidential purposes.
The Tema Regional Police Command says it remains committed to combating drug trafficking and other criminal activities.
They also urged the public to support law enforcement by providing timely and credible information on suspicious activities.
Firefighters from the Peki Fire Station of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded swiftly to a fatal head-on collision involving a Mercedes-Benz container truck (WR 1553-C) travelling from Nkwanta to Accra and a Mercedes-Benz passenger bus (GR 3215-E) travelling from Battor to Kabiti in the Oti Region.
The crash occurred at Peki-Tsame near Peki Senior High School in the early hours of Tuesday, 2nd June 2026.
A total of forty (40) persons were involved, comprising twenty-one (21) males, fifteen (15) females, and four (4) children.
Through a coordinated rescue operation, firefighters extricated 25 injured casualties, including 23 adults and two children.
Sadly, 15 persons lost their lives, made up of nine males and 6 females.
The injured were conveyed to the Peki Government Hospital for treatment, while the deceased were handed over to the Police, who conveyed them to the hospital mortuary for preservation and further investigation. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
The Ghana National Fire Service has extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and urges all motorists to observe road traffic regulations, avoid dangerous driving practices, and exercise maximum caution on the roads to help prevent accidents and save lives.
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