Since launching in January 2023, the National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS) as of October 2023 has disbursed GH¢13.8million to cover rent advance for some 1,105 beneficiaries across six regions.

The Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, made this known on the floor of parliament in his answers to questions from MP for Sawla/Tuna/Kalba, Andrew Dari Chiwitey.

He added that the 1,105 beneficiaries are from the six operational regions – Greater Accra, Eastern, Western, Ashanti, Northern and Bono East.

The ministry also spent GH¢900,000 on the pre-implementation activities and official launch, he said.

“To operationalise the National Rental Assistance Scheme, the Ministry of Works and Housing constituted a working team that spearheaded the design and modalities for implementation; organised wide stakeholder consultations; and developed materials for sensitisation and conducted public sensitisation on the National Rental Assistance Scheme,” the minister further explained.

According to him, the scheme was conceived by government as a result of the high demand for affordable rental housing. The initiative, he noted, was introduced to target both formal and informal individuals with regular income.

“The scheme removes the burden of huge rent advance payments to homeowners, since the programme’s beneficiaries pay monthly rent to the scheme,” the Minister elaborated.

Mr. Asenso Boakye assured parliamentarians of continuous updates about the scheme to ensure transparency and accountability.

Government early this year announced the NRAS to provide low interest loans for eligible low-income earners, to reduce the burden of vulnerable groups having to fork out money as advance rent payment.

Under the scheme, rent advance loans are paid directly into the bank accounts of landlords upon application by potential beneficiaries, with government committed to spending GH¢30million in its implementation.

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, launching the NRAS, explained that it will initially take off in some five regions before being rolled out nationwide; adding that the intervention aims to cushion low-income earners, as data available to the Works and Housing Ministry’s Rent Control Department indicate a high prevalence of rent advance-related issues.