Economy
SOME residents of Awka have expressed deep concern over what they described as cut-throat and incessant hikes in house rent in the capital town.
A cross-section of people, who made the complaint in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, said the situation called for urgent government’s intervention, through appropriate legislation.
According to them, it has become necessary for government to come up with a law to protect tenants from the landlords’ obsession to increase rents.
They attributed the unwholesome trend to greed among some landlords, influence of internet fraudsters, called “Yahoo Boys”, and activities of middlemen.
They described the situation as grossly insensitive, particularly in a civil servants dominated area, with N70,000 minimum wage.
NAN reports that a three-bedroom apartment goes between N500,000 and N1 million annually, while a one-room self-contained apartment goes for between N300,000 and N600,000 per annun.
A private sector operator, Mr Emma Valentine, blamed the trend on population increase and greed among some landlords to get return on their investment within a short time.
According to Valentine, everybody wants to live in Awka, which is just a town on the expressway, so the place is congested.
“When somebody acquires land and manages to build a house, he will try to recoup his investment within the shortest possible time, not minding that real estate is a long term investment.
“Landlords have short term motive in mind when fixing rent, and government has yet to open up the neighbouring communities, like we have in Enugu.
“If Amansea, Isuaniocha, Mgbakwu, which has a Polytechnic, Ebenebe, Isiagu and other areas near the city are developed, the pressure will reduce, thank God we have roads to those places now,” he said.
Valentine also identified the “influx” of the yahoo boys, who found Awka as a conducive environment, as another factor.
He said that in the past, yahoo boys relied on agents (lawyers/family members) to secure accomodation at exorbitant rates “but now house owners look out for them.
“Before, landlords were not renting their houses directly to them, they were ready to pay any amount, they pay for two years and stay for eight months and pack out.
“So, that type of tenancy suited the motives of landlords and ignited the greed in them and when a civil servant comes, landlords do not take them seriously,” he said.
A media practitioner, Mr Jude Atupulazi, said that house rent in Awka used to be moderate untill yahoo boys “corrupted” the landlords.
Atupulazi also blamed middlemen, known as “agents”, including lawyers, for the ugly trend.
He said that most agents would want to make as much gain as the landlords before allowing an accommodation seeker to rent a house.
“Equally, we have greedy agents cashing in on the growing population that created more demand than supply.
“There is also the issue of high cost of building materials, which comes as a handy excuse, though valid,” he said.
A civil servant, Collins Somadina, said that high rent in Awka was largely due to the failure of government to build low cost houses for workers.
Somadina said that Awka was relatively civilised and people, including those whose work places are outside the town, wished to live there.
“Although agents and lawyers are part of the problem yet government has not helped matters.
“As we talk, there is no government housing estate for workers.
“About 2,000 units of such houses will reduce the pressure.
“For me, population is not the problem, if government has a plan for workers by developing estates, landlords will beg people to live in their houses.
“Awka is populated by government workers and students of a federal university, we do not have much of businessmen to blame for the problem of housing,” he said.
A social commentator, Mr Tony Okafor, said the issue of high rent in Anambra was a serious concern to many residents, particularly low and middle-income earners.
Okafor blamed the situation primarily on the lack of a law regulating rent in the state, adding that without a rent control law, landlords and property owners would be free to charge exorbitant rents, leaving tenants with little or no option.
“In contrast, Lagos State has implemented a rent control law, which has helped to mitigate the issue of high rent in the state.
“The Lagos State Rent Control Law, enacted in 2011, regulates the relationship between landlords and tenants, providing guidelines for rent increase, lease agreements, and eviction procedures.
“The law also establishes the Lagos State Rent Tribunal to handle disputes between landlords and tenants.
“As a result of this law, Lagos State has experienced a more stable and predictable rental market.
“Rent increases are now subject to certain legal restrictions,” he said. (NAN)
31st December, 2024.
C.E.
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