President John Dramani Mahama has issued a strong warning to landlords who flout rent regulations, calling on tenants to report any demands for rent advances that exceed the legal limit.

Speaking at a high-level engagement with Organised Labour at Jubilee House on Tuesday, March 17, the President highlighted the growing housing crisis and its severe impact on household incomes across the country.

He stressed that the rising cost of accommodation is placing unsustainable pressure on citizens, underscoring the urgent need for a coordinated national response. According to him, Ghana must initiate a comprehensive housing dialogue involving government, the private sector, and labour unions to develop a robust social housing framework.

“Housing is a major problem, and for households, it is consuming their income,” he stated, advocating for affordable solutions through structured mortgage systems and fair rental arrangements.

President Mahama pointed to the country’s housing deficit as a key driver behind the increasing trend of landlords demanding excessive rent advances—often far beyond what the law permits. He noted that while existing regulations cap rent advances at six months, enforcement remains weak, partly due to reluctance from both tenants and landlords to seek redress through the rent court.

“The reason private house owners are taking advantage is because of the housing deficit,” he explained, adding that legal mechanisms are already in place but underutilized.

The President urged tenants to take a firm stand against unlawful practices by reporting offending landlords to the appropriate authorities, including the rent court, assuring that strict action would be taken against violators.

His remarks come at a time of heightened public concern over widespread reports of landlords demanding up to two years’ rent in advance—a practice widely condemned as both illegal and exploitative, further deepening the country’s housing affordability crisis.

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sam Nartey George, has defended the government’s decision to undertake a new SIM registration exercise, emphasizing that the initiative is focused on safeguarding consumers and improving national security systems.

Speaking to stakeholders, the Minister highlighted significant flaws in the current SIM database, warning that inaccuracies have placed innocent individuals at risk. He explained that cases of identity theft and data errors have led to situations where people are wrongly implicated in criminal activities.

According to him, security agencies have raised concerns about the credibility of existing data. He noted that law enforcement authorities often rely on SIM registration records to identify suspects, but inconsistencies in the database have resulted in wrongful arrests.

“The Minister for the Interior, who also serves as the Minister for National Security, has consistently called for a more reliable SIM register,” he said, adding that in some instances, cloned Ghana Cards have been used to register SIM cards linked to criminal acts.

Mr. George stressed that the new registration exercise is not driven by procurement interests, but rather by the urgent need to build an accurate and secure system. He pointed out that the government’s priority is to establish a credible database that protects users while providing dependable information to security agencies.

“At the core of this exercise is consumer protection and user confidence,” he stated, contrasting the current approach with previous registration efforts, which he suggested were overly focused on procurement processes.

The Minister further indicated that the government aims to develop a system jointly managed by the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Identification Authority (NIA), ensuring long-term reliability and accountability.

He expressed confidence that, if properly implemented, the new SIM registration exercise would be the last of its kind, ultimately restoring public trust and reducing cases of identity misuse.

Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has revealed that compensation for public sector workers continues to account for the largest share of government expenditure, significantly limiting spending in other critical areas.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Organised Labour at Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, as part of ongoing consultations between the government and labour groups.

According to the Finance Minister, employee compensation currently represents 39 percent of total government expenditure, compared to 32 percent allocated to debt servicing and 29 percent to grants for other government entities.

Dr Forson noted that the size of the wage bill is creating a “crowding-out effect,” restricting the government’s ability to invest in essential sectors. He explained that while a substantial portion of resources is devoted to salaries, only three percent of expenditure goes toward goods and services, and just six percent is allocated to capital investment.

He further highlighted that social benefits account for only one percent of government spending, while statutory funds—classified as grants to other government units—make up about 24 percent. Debt servicing, he added, continues to consume a significant share at 26 percent of total expenditure.

Providing additional context, Dr Forson stated that by the end of the 2025 fiscal year, compensation spending had reached 44 percent of non-oil tax revenue, 5.6 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and 33.78 percent of overall government expenditure.

He emphasized that these figures underscore the growing fiscal pressure posed by the public sector wage bill and the need for careful expenditure management.