Data Protection Commission to prosecute 300 institutions for data security breaches

The Data Protection Commission has disclosed that it will soon arraign about 300 institutions that have failed to safeguard the data of individuals as stipulated by law.

The Commission has since 2017 been championing the protection of information that is collected and used by companies and institutions in Ghana.

The Commission bemoaned the low compliance with the Data Protection Act 843

Speaking at an event to climax the Data Protection and Privacy week, the Executive Director for the Commission, Patricia Adusei-Poku said the law proscribes sanctions for companies that flout the regulations of the Commission.

She disclosed that the Commission is liaising with the Chief Justice and the Attorney General to ensure that institutions that flout the nation’s data regulations are sanctioned and made to comply with the data laws.

“We will be enforcing the law by publishing the names of non-compliant institutions and we have gone to the Chief Justice to get a Fastrack Court so that there will not be delays in pushing data breach cases through the court and the Chief Justice asked for justification which has been done and now the Attorney General has given us a dedicated prosecutor who is working with the Commission to compile the cases.”

Mrs. Adusei-Poku also advised institutions to “register with the Data Protection Commission and work on your compliance programme to avoid prosecution.”

The Deputy Communications Minister, Ama Pomaa Boateng also pledged the government’s dedication to equipping the Data Protection Commission to ensure the protection of the data of citizens.

“We intend to empower the Data Protection Commission to be at the heart of our data transformational agenda.”