By Stephen Simon
The Cross River State Government has appealed to landlords across the state to exercise compassion and restraint regarding what it described as frequent and arbitrary increases in residential house rents.
The appeal was made by the State Commissioner for Lands, Erasmus Ekpang, during a media briefing on Monday in Calabar, against the backdrop of escalating accommodation costs impacting residents across the state capital and surrounding areas.
Ekpang urged property owners to reconsider steep rent hikes, noting that many households are already severely strained by the soaring cost of food, transportation, and basic living expenses.
“There is enough suffering in the land already. The people are already struggling with the rising cost of food, transportation and other basic needs,” Ekpang stated.
The commissioner emphasized that property owners need to prioritize tenant welfare and refrain from imposing sudden, excessive rental increases that risk forcing long-term residents out of their homes.
He further advocated for a reduction in current rental rates, highlighting that numerous families across Cross River State are increasingly forced to make difficult choices between securing shelter and meeting other basic necessities.
