Hundreds of youths on Tuesday stormed the streets of Akure, the Ondo State capital, kicking against what they described as exorbitant and arbitrary hikes of house rent in the state.
While staging a peaceful protest, the youths in their numbers lamented that the activities of landlords and house agents have largely remained unchecked, hence the incessant and disturbing increase of houses.
With the protesters disclosing that the situation is prevalent within the Akure metropolis, they warned that the development is capable of making the state become a hub for criminals.
Armed with placards, the youths chanted solidarity songs as they appealed to the state government as well as relevant stakeholders to urgently address the situation.
According to findings, a one-bedroom self-contained in Akure ranges from N250,000 to 350,000; a room and parlour apartment is N300,000 to N500,000; and a two-bedroom flat is N500,000 to N1.3 million.
According to the infuriated youths, the persistent hike in rent has made decent accommodation unaffordable for many young people, adding that it is pushing some residents to the brink of homelessness while forcing others into overcrowded and unhealthy living conditions.
Speaking on the development, one of the youths who joined the protest, Kemisola Ologun, stressed that many young individuals in the state can no longer afford decent accommodation due to the exorbitant amount for rent.
“It is really disturbing that agents and landlords have turned to something else in Akure. How on earth will you say a two-bedroom flat will be given out for N1.2 million, just two bedrooms in Akure?
“Ondo State is basically a civil service state, so how do they want people to afford that kind of rent? But we actually know who they will give such types of houses to. Landlords now use tactics to evict tenants in order to hike rents and in turn give them to these boys.
“What is really disturbing is that the government has not been saying anything. No control at all. The landlords and agents will just wake up and increase rents arbitrarily. It is so unfortunate,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the youths emphasised that the trend is fast eroding their standard of living and worsening economic hardship in the state, adding that the state government should endeavour to introduce a digital housing regulation app to monitor and control the activities of landlords and agents in the state.
They added that such a platform would not only protect tenants but also serve as a veritable source of internally generated revenue for the state.
