Francis Asenso-Boakye
Government will soon roll out its flagship programme of the National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS) to provide low-interest loans to Ghanaians on pay rolls to enable them pay rent advance.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, who announced this in Parliament yesterday, said the move is to reduce the financial burden that comes with acquiring a home.
On March 15, 2021, the government announced the NRAS in the 2021 budget statement it would establish the scheme with a seed of GH¢100 million, and would be done in partnership with the private sector.
Reiterating the implementation of the scheme, Mr. Asenso-Boakye indicated that the project was part of the Ministry of Works and Housing’s measures to strengthen the Rent Control Department to perform its lawful duties.
The measures include the review of the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220) and the Rent Control Law, 1986 (P.ND.C. L 138).
According to him, the review of the Rent Act is necessary in the light of the shortcomings of the existing Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220) and the Rent Control Law, 1986 (P.ND.C. L 138), which do not significantly address current challenges in the rental housing industry.
“The Ministry submitted a memorandum and received policy approval from Cabinet in February, 2022 for the review of the existing Rent Acts,” he submitted.
He said the Ministry was working with the office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice on a draft rent bill, which will eventually be brought before Parliament for consideration and approval, after an extensive stakeholder engagement.
“Mr. Speaker, the bill, if approved, will provide the framework for comprehensive restructuring of the Rent Control Department to make it more effective and efficient,” he stated.
Additionally, offices will be created in all regions and districts in the country, the Minister added.
He said the Ministry of Works and Housing was collaborating with the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation to digitalise operations of the Rent Control Department to enhance service delivery standards of the department,
“As a result, a technical team, comprising of the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) and the Ghana India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, has presented a technical report which has recommended, among other things, the design and architecture of systems to achieve full digitalisation of the Rent Control Department.”
He said the exercise would commence at the national level and later will be linked to the regional and district offices.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House