The Rent Control Commission and the Ghana Tourism Authority have ordered the closure of Serwaa Heights and Adehye3 hostels in Koforidua following findings of poor sanitation, inadequate management and unacceptable living conditions.
The enforcement action was taken after students of Koforidua Technical University raised concerns about the state of some private hostels operating around the university, calling for urgent intervention to address conditions they described as unsuitable for student accommodation.
A joint inspection team from the Eastern Regional Office of the Ghana Tourism Authority, led by Regional Director Jones Haruna Nelson, together with Acting Rent Control Commissioner Frederick Opoku, conducted an unannounced assessment of hostel facilities within the university’s surrounding communities after receiving complaints from students.
Before beginning the exercise, the officials met with the Dean of Students and later briefed the Vice Chancellor on the purpose and objectives of the inspection.
The team first inspected Serwaa Heights Hostel, which is situated approximately 300 metres from the university’s small gate, where officials identified serious sanitation challenges and poor maintenance practices.
The Ghana Tourism Authority also discovered that the facility was operating without the required registration from the authority, raising concerns about compliance with regulatory requirements.
Speaking to journalists after the inspection, Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Jones Haruna Nelson, said the facility failed to meet acceptable standards required for student accommodation.
“We came and realised that the place is not fit for purpose. We did not know there were hostels here because they are operating illegally. The place is unkempt and the air coming in is bad, so we have served them a notice of closure,” he stated.
Students living at the hostel told Channel One TV that they paid GH¢9,000 annually for single rooms, while occupants in shared rooms paid GH¢5,000 each despite the poor conditions they experienced.
The inspection team subsequently visited Adehye3 Hostel, located behind the university’s main campus, where officials observed accumulated waste at the entrance of the facility.
Students residing at the hostel expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of the premises and appealed to authorities to take immediate action to address the situation.
Following the assessment, the Ghana Tourism Authority issued official closure notices to both facilities, citing the need to protect students and ensure that private accommodation providers operate within approved standards.
Mr Jones Haruna Nelson explained that the decision was necessary to safeguard students and compel hostel operators to comply with regulatory requirements.
Meanwhile, Acting Rent Control Commissioner Frederick Opoku assured affected students that measures would be taken to ensure they receive refunds for payments already made to the affected facilities.
He said the Rent Control Commission would work closely with the Ghana Tourism Authority to protect students who rely on private accommodation and ensure that rental facilities meet acceptable safety and living standards.
The Commissioner further warned that his office would continue efforts to identify and shut down hostels across the country that exploit students or provide accommodation below required standards.
He added that the ongoing collaboration between the Rent Control Commission and the Ghana Tourism Authority forms part of a broader nationwide exercise aimed at removing unlicensed, unsafe and unhygienic hostel facilities from operation.
