"Prevention is better than cure and I believe that is the best measure against fire outbreaks, flooding and other undesirable calamities."

Mr Dery was speaking at a meeting with landlords of students of the Faculty of Integrated Development Studies of the University for Development Studies.

Since the transfer of the Faculty from Navrongo in the Upper East Region to Wa over three years ago, only few students were given official hostels with a majority of them having to look for their own accommodation.

Landlords and landladies capitalized on the situation to unilaterally increase rents. To streamline that, the regional minister organized a meeting with landlords and landladies to strike a deal that would please both parties. The meeting attracted about 100 landlords and landladies.

"Your role as service providers in this region is so crucial and you must take advantage of that position to improve on your household facilities,'' he said.

Most of the landlords and landladies complained of the unwillingness of some of the students to clean their houses and surroundings, unwillingness to pay for utility services such as water and electricity among others.