Data Protection Commission sensitises ISD, GNA Staff on Data Protection Compliance
The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has sensitised staff at the Information Services Department (ISD) and the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on data protection compliance, privacy rights, and measures to prevent data breaches in their workplaces.
The training, held in Accra on Tuesday as part of activities marking Customer Service Week, focused on building awareness among staff on the responsible collection, processing, storage and sharing of personal data.
Speaking during the training, the Training and Accreditation Manager of the DPC, Madam Hilda Oduah Sowah, said data protection involved the lawful, fair and secure processing of personal data while safeguarding the rights and freedoms of individuals.
She said the increasing digitisation of institutional processes had made it necessary for organisations to strengthen measures to protect personal information from unauthorised access and misuse.
“Once you collect personal information from individuals, you, as an individual or an institution, have a responsibility to protect the personal data you have collected,” she said.
Ms Sowah explained that personal data included any information capable of identifying an individual, including names, ages, addresses, photographs and employment records.
She cautioned staff against leaving documents containing personal information exposed on desks or disposing of them improperly, saying such practices could provide opportunities for unauthorised persons to obtain and misuse sensitive information.
She therefore urged staff to cultivate a culture of data protection to build trust among stakeholders, reduce the risk of data breaches, support legal compliance and protect the reputation of their institutions.
“Everyone who collects, uses, stores or shares data has a responsibility,” she said, stressing that the responsibility extended beyond the workplace to individuals’ daily activities, including sharing photographs, messages and contact information.
Ms Sowah further encouraged staff to seek consent before sharing or publishing another person’s personal information, particularly photographs and other identifiable details.
She said the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), provided the legal framework for regulating the processing of personal data and protecting the privacy rights of individuals in Ghana.
She urged participants to become “data protection ambassadors” by understanding and exercising their rights, including the right to be informed about how their personal information would be used, the right to object to certain processing, and the right to have inaccurate information corrected.
A Compliance Officer at the DPC, Madam Karen Aryee, said data protection compliance helped organisations avoid penalties, improve customer confidence, strengthen security and enhance governance.
She said organisations that processed personal data were required to register with the Commission and comply with the relevant requirements, including renewal of their registration.
Ms Aryee said compliance also helped organisations identify and reduce operational risks associated with the loss, unauthorised disclosure or misuse of personal information.
She urged institutions to train their staff and appoint certified data protection supervisors to serve as liaison officers between the institutions and the DPC.
Ms Aryee also called on organisations to implement security controls, including appropriate access restrictions, passwords, encryption and digital systems that could reduce unnecessary exposure of personal information.
She advised institutions to conduct a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) before introducing new technologies or software that process personal data.
The training formed part of efforts by the DPC to promote greater awareness and compliance with Ghana’s data protection requirements among organisations that collect and process personal information.
Judith Twumwaa, ISD
Photo credit: Seth Dadzie
