HIGH COST OF HOUSE RENT LASHES WORKERS TO SLEEP OUTSIDE IN ACCRA

Many workers sleeps outside owing to the high cost of renting rooms in Accra causing high rate of sick leaves and low productivity as most landlords take rent for two years advance.

Speaking to BLG news one of the Teshie’s landlord said the materials used in building the houses are very expensive recently as things keeps increasing in the market as a results higher prices need to be charged on the rent.

Speaking with Sis Akosua, one of the ladies sleeping outside at Teshie, they would love to sleep in a room but this is the case they do not have money to rent a room which costs GH¢60.00 to GH¢300.00 per month, she quoted. “We do not even have money to feed ourselves two to three times a day not to talk of renting a room of GH¢60.00 per month.  The landlords do not even take monthly payment, all they want is two to three years advance”, she revealed.

 The circle flood incident insinuate that  not all who died in the June 3rd incident had homes as most of the victims were sleeping in lorries, stores and on table at the stations causing high rate of  hazards to workers.

Speaking to Kojo Andoh, a death – escapee from the circle incident, most of the victims lacked appropriate sleeping place because of financial greediness of landlords. Most Landlords demands for a minimum of 2yrs advance before accepting any tenancy agreement which is very bad, he added.

This greediness of landlords cause high sick leave and low productivity as most workers new in Accra sacrifice their health and time just to get an affordable rent. Many organisations also suffer from high absenteeism due to sick leave causing poor organisational performance.

We therefore urge the government and the necessary stakeholders responsible for rent control to expedite actions to standardize the rent charges so as to save the workforce and organisations in Ghana from labour crisis and also avoid another disaster that instigated pain into the heart of Ghanaians through the flood and fire disaster at circle. 

Story by: MARY CAROLINA ATANGAH