Mahama urges government to order a freeze on ejections by landlords

Former President John Mahama is urging the government to order a freeze on ejections to ease the pressure on the many tenants who have lost their daily income to the lockdown in Accra and other parts of the country.

The presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the next general elections made the comment after he describes as an encounter he had with a woman on Thursday.

According to Mr Mahama, the young woman explained to him during an interaction that her landlord was demanding the rent for February and March or she faces ejection.

According the former President, the woman told him that she has been home for a while due to the lockdown and hence could not raise the funds to pay the rent.

“A moratorium on ejections as a first step will be helpful to many who have lost their daily income as a result of the lockdown. In return, I believe Government can compensate landlords and landladies for any income lost through tax reliefs, exemptions among others,” the former President proposed to government.

In Singapore, restaurants and other commercial tenants that are unable to pay rent due to the financial impact of measures introduced to curb Covid-19 pandemic in that country will be able to hold off such contractual obligations for at least six months under a proposed law.

When passed, landlords would not be allowed to terminate the lease of these tenants or repossess the premises if the rental is not paid during the relief period.

Source: Myjoyonline