Data Protection Commission climaxing the Global Privacy Week on Friday January 28, in Accra with a grand celebration with some Data controllers from various institutions.
The Deputy Minister of Communication and Digitalisation and member of Parliament for Juaben Constituency, Madam Ama Pomaa Boateng in her keynote address stated that,the mandate of the MOCD has one of their agencies been the Data Protection Commission whose mandate is to protect the citizeneries data.
There is therefore the need to increase the knowledge and awareness of the internationally accepted principles such as security safeguards maintaining accuracy and quality of the data. Increasing transparency about how data is processed, declaring specific purposes for data at the point of collection ensuring processing is on legitimate grounds, accountability to data subject and empowering them to themselves legally concerning how their data been used.
She noted that as part of the celebration, MOCD came in to support Data Protection Commission to ensure that the institution has the capacity, capability, and the ability to make that all data in the country is protected.
“I was happy to know that when you go to Registrar General to register your business,the data protection Commission is there to let you know you going to use technology to process you business ,will ask if do you know what you handle and if you capable of managing people’s information”, she said.
Madam Ama Pomaa Boateng noted that, Ghana is leading in the mitigation of risk in protecting of the data processing ecosystem and our progress and achievement are highly respected by many of our peers in the Region.
She added that, DPC is working collaboratively with other Africa Nations to achieve a level of harmonization that maximizes the potential of data usage in the Region. Here in Ghana the effort towards digitalised transformation is evident in several areas of government and the protection of personal data and the privacy of people in Ghana is a priority to government.
DPC has been mandated as a critical stakeholder on all the necessary project to represent the reasonable expectation of the people, she noted.
Citing an example, she noted that she has assigned the development of the National Artificial Intelligence and the related ethical use strategy to the newly established Tech and Ethics Department of the Commission.
It’s objective is that while we maximize the benefits of the data driven economy, the DPC will ensure that risk are mitigated to increase legitimacy and public trust.
She added that, as data is a key national asset ,they are establishing a better data governance infrastructure on a national scale that will enable our integrated data system.
“I expect the DPC to work collaboratively with the newly established Cyber Security Authority and other sister agencies”,she said.
She noted that, she is envisioning a modernised Ghanaian society where interoperable technologies are adapted to standardise the centralised policies, procedures to enable a timely and secure access to quality data for the public growth.
The Deputy Minister took the opportunity to charge DPC to enhance the delivery of their mandate, to regulate the ecosystem beyond the use of punitive enforcement, to the establishment of effective data governance, the appropriate administrative and technical procedures and safeguards that ensures the national data ecosystem can be trusted.
she added that, in the spirit of fostering nationwide inclusivity development, economic growth and social progress. We therefore have to ensure that there is integrity and fairness in the access and use of the data to avoid discrimination, processing and infringement of people’s rights.
In conclusion, Madam Ama Pomaa Boateng said, the theme for this year’s celebration which is Transparency, Trust and Transformation is that our data controllers nationwide, should they ensure the registered with a DPC as required by the Act 843 Section 46 (3) to get the training and awareness planned for the business sector, follow the rules and guidance lay down process our data compliantly to address the most important hurdle towards the successful delivery of the Commission’s mandate.
The Executive Director of Data Protection Commission,Ms. Patricia Adusei-Poku said with their new system data controllers can create a profile for themselves, register, identify who they are selected professional, certified and qualified data protection supervisor is in the system and also the details of their key decision maker.
Adding that, these were very important information that we need because the key decision maker of every entity is responsible for acknowledging the legal obligations and making the right strategic decisions that enables institution in the country to be taking the right action to protect our personal data and our privacy.
She disclosed that, certified professionals are people that are certified or qualified by the Data Protection Commission by law in section 28 that says the commission has mandate to ensure that we have professionals in the Ghana ecosystem that is absolutely necessary because globally there is a big skills deficit of professionals who can practically converts the legal requirements into business.
“We have to come to an agreement and we are taking the step to position ourselves as the entity that is responsible for safeguarding all your data to ensure that the data market that are actually forming in the country are doing it ethically and properly”, Ms Adusei-Poku said.
She added that, DPC is insisting that every institution who deals with data to train a professional as required by Section 58 of the Act ,a professional who will be responsible for implementing a privacy program for that institution.
