Accra: A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communications team, Hamza Suhuyini, has expressed concerns over what he considers exploitative hostel charges at tertiary institutions. Speaking on Metro TV's Good Morning Ghana on May 8, 2026, Suhuyini highlighted the disparity between the expensive student accommodation costs and the subpar services provided by many private hostels near university campuses.
According to Ghana Web, Suhuyini pointed out that the situation has become intolerable, with students forced to live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. He remarked on the dire living situations some students face, such as having to sleep near toilet areas, while hostel owners continue to demand large sums of money without improving service quality. Despite rising fees from hostel operators, basic sanitation is often neglected, leaving students to endure deteriorating facilities.
Reflecting on his own experiences as a University of Ghana student, Suhuyini recalled the struggles with broken toilet systems and a lack of running water, issues that persist in various forms today. He recounted how students coined the term 'SOS', meaning 'sht on sht', to describe the state of campus washrooms. The absence of water supply exacerbated hygiene issues, forcing students to improvise under challenging conditions.
Suhuyini emphasized that the problem has worsened with increasing accommodation costs, especially in privately owned hostels. He urged authorities, including President John Dramani Mahama, to address the growing gap between cost and quality in student housing. Suhuyini's appeal comes as public scrutiny intensifies over hostel pricing in Ghana's tertiary education, with student bodies and advocacy groups demanding regulatory action against arbitrary rent hikes amid poor living conditions.