One of the most difficult issues affecting young Ghanaians apart from the lack of employment opportunities is the cost of rent advances. Most landlords in Ghana, particularly in the cities, require tenants to pay a two-year rent advance. Although this is illegal, as captured in Section 25 (5) of the RENT ACT, 1963 (ACT 220), most young people commit to it as socially acceptable practice. Significantly, this is robbing the youth of capital to start their own businesses because they must always commit enormous amounts of money into renting. Even if they are able to raise this amount, which is usually in the form of loans from family and friends, they will have to pay it back over time. That is, most young people are basically working to pay their rent.
There is a need to enforce the Rent Act to at least create financial opportunities for the youth in order for them to pursue many entrepreneurial opportunities.