CEOs Urged to Invest in Data Protection Supervisors

Data Protection Commission has urged Chief Executive Officers to invest in building the capacity of their Data Protection Supervisors to acquire knowledge and support in data management protection.

The Commission said the training would enable the Supervisors to understand and assess the risk of the company and be assisted by the Commission to address issues related to data protection.

Ms Patricia Poku, the Executive Director of the Commission in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at a breakfast meeting for CEOs of organisations said the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) required every individual or organisation that processes personal information to register with the Commission.

She said all individuals who give out their personal information do so at their own risk if the information given to an institution or individual had not registered with the Commission in accordance with the Act.

Ms Poku admonished CEOs to register with the Commission to position the company as an accountable and responsible institution and as well gain public confidence against their competitors.

She said registering with the Commission helps organisations to be part of the due diligence requirements for contract since without data protection licence, companies would not be given contracts.

Ms Poku added that another benefit of registering with the Commission was excellence in the leadership of an organisation in that it positioned the CEO as the leader in the company.

The Executive Director said non-compliance with the Commission’s Act would force the Commission to enforce action on organisations such as negative media attention, leading to loss of reputation, customers and possible European Union fines.

Mr Vincent Odotei Sowah, the Deputy Minister of Communications urged individuals and organisations to comply with the Act since the country’s competitiveness depended on compliance to the Act.

Mr Sowah said data protection was crucial because of the high rate in cyber-crime and as such it was imperative for individual’s personal information be protected and managed to prevent unhealthy practices.

He said government would continue to play its role in ensuring that the right things were done in the right way by ensuring that agencies responsible for the protection and management of information worked in an effective and efficient manner.

Source: GNA