In a bid to address the housing crisis and the challenges faced by renters, the Ministry of Works and Housing of Ghana has launched an online rent platform, aimed at improving transparency, access, and fairness in Ghana’s rental market.
However, while the platform is a step in the right direction, its rollout has exposed several shortcomings, leaving it incomplete in its current state.
The Vision Behind the Platform
The digital platform is meant to offer a range of services, including the ability to register properties, file complaints, and resolve disputes online, eliminating the need for in-person visits.
Additionally, digital tenancy agreements should be able to be processed electronically, and unique digital property addresses will be assigned to all rented properties, making the rental market more organized and transparent.
Glaring Gaps in Implementation
Despite these positive intentions, several critical aspects of the platform remain underdeveloped, leaving it “incomplete”.
We attempted to search properties on the platform but have not been able to get listings.
In addition, the user experience has left much to be desired. The FAQ section doesn’t have enough information about navigating the platform with most of the sections “blank”.
The platform has unclear instructions about sign-up and logging in, making it hard to navigate. We attempted to sign up but did not receive an OTP code to continue.
These issues will make it harder for users to access the information they need, which could ultimately deter people from using the platform altogether.
Lack of Features In Its Rollout
The Ministry of Works and Housing stated that digital tenancy agreements would be able to be processed electronically. However, we were not able to check how this feature would work due to the inability to sign up or even find the information on the platform.
Questions of Enforcement and Oversight
There’s also the question of data protection and privacy, which has not been adequately addressed. The site doesn’t have a privacy policy and does not state how the data used on the platform is handled.
The Road Ahead
While Ghana’s online rent platform has the potential to transform the rental market, it is evident that significant improvements are needed for it to realize its full potential.
The government must take urgent steps to address the gaps in property listings, user experience, and regulatory enforcement. If these issues are not resolved, the platform risks becoming another underutilized public service.
Until then, the platform remains a work in progress, offering a glimpse of what could be a transformative tool, but not quite delivering on its promise—yet.
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