The Voice of Landlords Association, Ghana (VOLAG) has disputed a statement by the Acting Rent Commissioner that he does not know the association, citing previous engagements between its executives and the Rent Control Department.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the association said some members of its acting executive leadership had met the Acting Rent Commissioner on several occasions during its formative stages.
VOLAG explained that the engagements included a request for a supporting letter from the Rent Control Department to facilitate its registration at the Registrar-General’s Department.
According to the association, its registration application had encountered difficulties and was rejected more than once before it was asked to obtain a reference or supporting letter from the Rent Control Department.
The association said its executives subsequently met the Acting Rent Commissioner to seek his assistance but were unsuccessful.
“According to the executives who were present, the Acting Rent Commissioner declined to provide the requested support and used an idiomatic expression to the effect that he could not ‘give us the gun to shoot him’,” the statement said.
VOLAG said its executives understood the remark to mean that the Commissioner considered the formation of a landlords’ association a potential challenge to his work or position.
The association added that it had to seek legal assistance and pursue other administrative processes for several weeks before securing the necessary registration certificate to operate.
It said the experience, alongside broader concerns among landlords and property owners, contributed to its decision to petition the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources and other relevant state institutions.
According to VOLAG, the petition addresses issues beyond its engagements with the Rent Control Department, including rent administration, enforcement, investment protection, rent-law reform and the future of Ghana’s rental housing sector.
The association described the Acting Rent Commissioner’s reported statement that he did not know VOLAG as surprising, given the previous engagements involving its acting executives and chairman.
It urged landlords and property owners not to be discouraged by the development, stating that it already had members and representation across various regions of the country.
“VOLAG will not be intimidated by any organization or institution. We will continue to operate lawfully, peacefully, professionally, and independently in protecting the legitimate interests of landlords and property owners,” the statement said.
The association maintained that private landlords played a significant role in Ghana’s rental accommodation sector and should be meaningfully involved in national housing policy discussions.
It called for constructive engagement with relevant institutions, arguing that landlords’ investments should be respected, protected and adequately represented in decisions affecting the rental housing sector.
VOLAG reaffirmed its commitment to representing landlords, landladies, property owners and rental-property investors across Ghana.
