Following plans by the Delta State House of Assembly to introduce a bill regulating rent increases, Comrade (Amb) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen, National Coordinator of the Initiative For Social Rights Concerns And Advancement (ISRCA), also known as “No Justice, No Peace,” urged the Delta State Ministry of Housing to focus on improving housing schemes that could directly benefit indigenes, particularly civil servants, instead of imposing laws that could negatively affect property owners who invested heavily in building homes amid rising construction costs.
In a statement in Warri, Agberen acknowledged that while the proposed law has merit due to the rising rents charged by landlords, he stressed that the government should address the underlying causes first. He said, “As much as the bill may benefit many people, property owners cannot spend so much on building materials and then offer their houses at very low rents.”
He emphasized the need for balance when implementing such regulatory measures, noting that “the bill should initially focus on controlling the costs of building materials before regulating rent increases.” Agberen also pointed out that the state does not have local factories producing these materials, making it difficult to enforce such a law without unfairly burdening property owners.
He further commented on criticisms from residents about excessive commissions charged by real estate agents, noting that these agents are not the main reason for high rents. “The high cost of rents is primarily driven by expensive building materials, quality standards, and general inflation, which has been worsened by fuel price hikes,” he explained, adding that while agent activities can be regulated, the fundamental factors behind soaring rents are much harder to control.
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