The Acting Commissioner of the Rent Control Commission, Frederick Opoku, has criticised SSNIT for the excessive fees they are charging for the Pentagon Hostel ‘Pent’ on the University of Ghana campus.
According to the Rent Commissioner, SSNIT must bow its head in shame for exploiting parents who pension they manage.
Frederick Opoku quizzed SSNIT on whether they want students to engage in prostitution before they can afford their hostel fees.
Speaking on Hitz FM, Frederick Opoku fumed, “If you go to Pent hostel, called Ghana Hostels Limited, that is the name, Pent for SSNIT. You SSNIT that you are managing people’s pension rights, and the same parent you manage their pension, you are exploiting them. What kind of behaviour is that?
SSNIT should bow its head in shame; you can never use people’s money and manage and still exploit them. I went there, I didn’t bring the sheet, and I don’t want to be liable for any legal issues. I just want to speak to the issues”.
He added, “You go to Pent, they say there are new Pent and old Pent. Look at this terminology and semantics. This one is a new block, and the old block has 4 students in one room; they will take you like GHS6000 for the old one.
The new one is GHS8000 per semester, in fact, one room with air conditioning, they are talking about GHS20,000 plus or GHS30,000. What is the meaning of this? Do you want them to do prostitution to come and pay?”
Students of the University of Ghana have been constantly demanding urgent action against what they describe as outrageous and exploitative hostel fees.
Last year, SRC General Secretary, Sandra Owie, in a strongly-worded statement on Facebook, called out hostel operators, saying, “It is with deep concern and justified anger that I address the unbearable hostel fees being charged at Vikings and similar private hostels around the University of Ghana. The situation has reached an unacceptable level, and it is high time we called things by their proper name: exploitation”.
“How can we, in good conscience, accept over ₵10,000 for a shared room of four and as high as ₵38,000 for a single room?” she quizzed.
“Enough is enough. We refuse to be exploited, and we will resist any attempt by hostel operators to profit off the desperation of students,” she declared.
Meanwhile, some Ghanaians reacting to the Rent Commissioner’s remarks stated, “Paying 10k+ for accommodation, meanwhile, the course/discipline the person is doing, the highest salary amount even after 10 years experience doesn’t come up to 10k monthly. There’s a serious issue at hand”.
A netizen added, “The prices of hostels on all the various campuses, including UG is outrageous. You don’t know or can’t tell the inspiration behind all those prices.
One room with AC in the pent is over 20,000 plus, and we have students in it.
Whoever is managing those halls must be that wicked to exploit innocent students like that. Ahhh”.
An X user added, “Over 30 years, I have never seen a rent commissioner outspoken like this in the history of Ghana. Give this man all the support he needs and protect him at all cost”.
An X user added, “The students them aaaa them Dey do themselves….Charley, you want a room which is tiled with DSTV, AC, Fridge, Television … modernised toilet and bath 🛀 guy you like p3ky333 and the moment you vacate you are forced to move your things out, bring another money and pay another semester”.
Watch the video below:
“The same parents that you are managing their pension, you are exploiting them. SSNIT should bow their heads in shame for the hostel prices at Pent.”
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) May 8, 2026
—The Acting Commissioner of the Rent Control Commission has criticized SSNIT for the excessive fees they are charging for the… pic.twitter.com/U44KsX1TRS