By Our Correspondent
Tenants across Anambra State have raised alarm over what they described as arbitrary and exploitative rent hikes, announcing the formation of a pressure group aimed at confronting alleged abuses by landlords, property agents and house managers.
The group was unveiled on Wednesday as a platform to address intimidation, harassment and what members called indiscriminate charges imposed on tenants in major cities across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its convener, Mr. Paschal Candle, said tenants were being subjected to excessive rent increases ranging from 150 to 300 per cent, alongside multiple fees such as caution fees, legal fees, security fees and agency commissions far above acceptable limits.
According to him, property agents now charge between 5 and 15 per cent, while landlords continue to raise rents without regard for prevailing economic realities.
He cited Awka as a major example, noting that a two-bedroom flat with a parlour now goes for between ₦1 million and ₦3 million, often described as “Lekki standard,” with additional agency fees still demanded.
Mr. Candle said the situation had left low-income earners — including civil servants, petty traders and workers earning between ₦77,000 and ₦140,000 monthly — in severe distress, with many families struggling to secure or retain accommodation.
He contrasted the situation in Anambra with recent developments in other states, noting that Enugu State has introduced a new tenancy law, Ebonyi State has banned agency fees entirely, and Lagos and Delta States have tenancy laws aimed at curbing excesses in the housing sector.
“We have decided to take our destiny into our hands,” he said, adding that the group would roll out strategies and action plans to address what he described as an ugly situation in the state’s housing market.
The convener disclosed that the platform would establish a technical team to develop a strategic framework and draft resolutions to be presented to the Anambra State Government and the State House of Assembly.
He also said the group would study the existing Anambra State Tenancy Law and make its provisions accessible and understandable to the general public.
Membership of the platform, he said, is open to tenants in all cities across Anambra State.
Mr. Candle urged unity among members, describing the initiative as a collective struggle for fairness and justice in the housing sector. “One for all, all for one,” he said, while calling on the government to urgently intervene to protect vulnerable residents.
The development comes amid growing public concern over the rising cost of living and housing shortages in urban centres across the state.
