Will controlling hostel rents solve the accommodation challenges on our campuses?

The acting Rent Commissioner made a recent accusation of exploitation on the part of some hostel owners. This accusation has brought the problem of inadequate student residential accommodation on campuses into public discourse. The discussions have elevated the student accommodation challenge into the public's consciousness, and this can potentially instigate a policy response from the government.

Since the late 1990s, Ghanaian Universities have struggled to provide residential accommodation for students. At the University of Ghana, total student enrolment on the main Legon campus increased from approximately 23,000 in 2012 to about 59,000 in 2024. Data from the Ghana Statistical Service indicates that construction costs have risen higher than general levels of inflation over the past two decades.

The article states that there is insufficient hostel accommodation for students on all university campuses across the country. The article suggests that the discussion needs to move to how to expand supply.