Data Protection Expert and CEO of Information Governance Solutions, Madam Sylvia Appiah, has implored data controllers in both public and private institutions to make data protection requirements top priority in their respective organisations to avoid cost arising from fines and sanctions over non-compliance to established data privacy and rights.
“As Ghana is scaling up efforts to create a safe digital economy, it cannot be overemphasised that as part of the inherent nature of technology issues relating to data subject rights and data controller responsibility requires a legal framework which ensures that data subject privacy rights are not violated in the pursuit and implementation of technology by data controllers,” she indicated.
The call from the seasoned data expert comes in the wake of a nationwide exercise of the state data protection entity, the Data Protection Commission (DPC), to fish out and sanction businesses that have fallen short of the appropriate handling of data for both private and commercial purposes.
According to her, the current data protection legislation balances the need to ensure privacy rights with the rights of the State to remain inviolable, maintain law and order, function effectively, and protect its citizens effectively.
She added: “Ghana’s Data Protection Act outlines what constitutes lawful processing, exempt processing, the scope and duties of data controllers, data processors, the Data Commissioner, and data subjects”.
The DPC has set out the month of August to embark on an aggressive enforcement of the Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843).
The widely publicised enforcement action saw the arrest of companies such as Hisense Group Limited, Mawarko Fast foods, Quick Credit Microfinance and Investment Limited, and Agyabeng Akrasi & Co., with a lot more others under the radar.
Ghana’s Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843) outlines what constitutes lawful processing, exempt processing, the scope and duties of data controllers, data processors, functions of the Data Protection Commission, and data subjects’ rights.
