The government has initiated moves to address the growing burden of rising hostel accommodation costs confronting students across tertiary institutions in Ghana, following increasing public complaints over high rent charges and additional utility fees imposed by private hostel operators.
As part of the intervention, the Ministry of Education has constituted a committee made up of officials from the ministry, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), the Ghana Education Service (GES), and vice-chancellors of public universities to engage stakeholders and recommend measures aimed at resolving the issue.
The announcement was made during the inauguration of governing councils for the Jasikan College of Education and the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences on Tuesday, May 11, 2026, where the Education Minister acknowledged growing public concern over escalating accommodation charges being paid by students nationwide.
According to the minister, government remains worried that the increasing involvement of private investors in hostel development could gradually shift student accommodation beyond the financial reach of many families if proper safeguards are not introduced.
He cautioned that while public-private partnerships have become necessary to bridge accommodation deficits in tertiary institutions, the arrangements must not lead to exploitative pricing structures that place additional hardship on students.
The minister explained that consultations are currently ongoing among the Ministry of Education, GTEC, and university authorities to reach what he described as an amicable and socially responsible solution to the hostel fee crisis.
He stressed that government would not allow educational infrastructure partnerships to operate solely on profit motives without taking into account broader social responsibilities and public interest considerations.
The latest intervention comes against the backdrop of mounting complaints from students and parents over sharp increases in hostel accommodation fees around major university campuses, especially in Accra, Kumasi, Cape Coast, and other tertiary education hubs.
In recent years, inadequate space in traditional halls of residence has forced many students to rely on private hostels, significantly increasing demand for off-campus accommodation and driving up rental prices.
Concerns over hostel charges intensified further after the Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, accused some private hostel operators of exploiting students through questionable utility billing systems.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Super Morning Show earlier on Monday, the Acting Rent Commissioner criticised the practice where students in hostels fitted with prepaid electricity meters are still compelled to pay fixed utility charges as part of their rent.
He questioned why students are unable to directly manage their own electricity consumption despite the existence of prepaid systems, arguing that the arrangement unfairly compels students with lower energy usage to subsidise others.
Opoku cited situations in shared rooms where students with minimal electricity usage are charged the same amount as colleagues who operate refrigerators and other high-consuming electrical appliances.
According to him, some hostel operators have used bundled utility charges as a means of artificially inflating accommodation costs under the guise of operational expenses.
He maintained that although private investors are entitled to recover costs and make returns on investments, students must also be treated fairly through transparent and equitable pricing systems.
The Acting Rent Commissioner further called for stronger rent assessment mechanisms and regulatory oversight within the student accommodation sector to ensure fairness and affordability.
Meanwhile, the Education Minister also used the occasion to provide updates on government’s broader tertiary education expansion agenda.
He disclosed that the newly established University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences is expected to admit its first batch of about 800 students by October 2026.
He further revealed that government is considering proposals for the establishment of additional public universities, including one expected to serve the Western North Region.
According to him, recommendations regarding the establishment of new universities would be submitted to President John Dramani Mahama and government through the appropriate policy channels for consideration.
The minister assured residents of the Western North Region that the area remains part of government’s long-term plans to expand access to higher education and educational infrastructure across the country.
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