Kumasi: A viral video on social media has captured the Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, inspecting hostels at the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) in the Ashanti Region over exorbitant charges. The video shared on X on August 17, 2026, captured the interior of the hostel facility near the university, where two students reportedly paid GHS10,000 each per academic year for a single room.
According to Ghana Web, Opoku, who was visibly displeased about the development during the inspection, questioned how rooms in a wooden structure merit such exorbitant fees. Rent Control has set a November 30 deadline for landlords. He described the practice as criminal and insisted that urgent action must be taken to address it. 'This is a wooden structure for two persons in the room. They are charged GHS10,000 each. So you can see that when I stretch my hand, I can touch both beds. If this is not criminal, what is it?' he lamented.
The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, together with officials from the Ghana Tourism Authority, has inspected private hostels serving students of the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) amid growing concerns over exorbitant fees and poor living standards. The visits covered facilities including Ambassador Gardens Hostel and Poly Annex Hostel, where inspectors observed overcrowding, non-functional lighting, shared toilets and bathrooms serving large numbers of residents, poor ventilation, and other sanitation challenges.
In one case at Ambassador Gardens, four students allegedly shared a room for GHS5,000 each with reported electrical problems. In another, five students reportedly paid a combined GHS15,000 for the year. The video has since attracted more than 100 comments, sparking outrage among students and the public, and raising fresh concerns about the regulation of private hostels and the affordability of tertiary education in Ghana.