Accra, Ghana, April 20, 2020//-The landlady of an apartment building at Teiman in Accra, Joyce Terkper has given three months rent waiver to her tenants due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
The rentals comprise of two-bedrooms apartments, chamber and halls apartments and single rooms and they are 11 in total.
They are located on the top floors of a popular groceries shop called Oroma Supermarket at Teiman, owned by the kind landlady and her husband, Peter Terkper, Finance Director at Puma Energy.
Joyce Terkper wrote a letter dated April 18, 2020 to her tenants telling them that due to the hardship that the COVID-19 lockdown had brought on everyone, she had decided to waive three months rent off what they are each supposed to pay.
She wrote that those whose rent is not yet due should take out the equivalent of three months rent and pay the rest when the time comes, while those whose rent is due can wait and pay the balance after three months.
Mrs Terkper told Adom News she felt the need to provide the relief to her tenants because she is aware the COVID-19 lockdown is hard on every one.
She noted that if the president can give everyone at least three months relief due to the lockdown, “then I feel it is in order for people like me who are privileged to extend the same gesture to the people we can help.”
Mrs Terkper and her husband also run a car rental business, which has their home as the base, and also rent sound and other equipment for events.
A tenant in the house, Desmond Osuquaye told Adom News Auntie Joyce and Uncle Peter are angels and “we count ourselves blessed to be their tenants.”
He said when the lockdown started, the landlady invited them and told them they can get any item from her supermarket and pay later since they are not making any money right now.
“She even gives us cooked food for free almost everyday and ensures that we maintain our relationship with God even during this lockdown,” he said.
Desmond said most of the tenants are young men and Auntie Joyce and Uncle Peter treat them like their younger brothers, with great understanding and care that is very rare to find today.
He said the letter informing them about the three months rent waiver was the icing on the cake and they were so overwhelmed by it, “that was why they decide to share the joy with the rest of the world.”
Adom News believes the kind gesture of Joyce and Peter Terkper deserve presidential recognition because it is inspiring and also falls in line with the president’s own relief package.
The inspiration is that while some landlords and land ladies have refused to let their tenants fetch water for free, Joyce and Peter Terkper are not only giving tenants free food, but also rents waivers.
By Samuel Dowuona, Adom News
