By Edward Acquah
Accra, Aug. 21, GNA – The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has acquired two pickup vehicles to strengthen enforcement of data protection laws and expand its operations across the country.
The vehicles, procured with the Commission’s Internally Generated Funds (IGF), are expected to support field operations and the establishment of regional offices.
Mr Mohammed Adams Sukparu, Deputy Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, handed over the vehicles to the Commission at a ceremony in Accra on Thursday.
Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo, Executive Director of the DPC, told the Ghana News Agency that the Commission had declared 2026 the “Year of Enforcement” to compel institutions to comply with the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843).
He said the Commission, which currently operated only from its head office, was taking steps to establish offices in the Eastern, Ashanti, Northern, Western and Bono regions by the end of the year.
Dr Kavaarpuo said the vehicles would support the establishment and operations of the regional offices and strengthen enforcement activities.
“We have had significant logistical challenges, not least of it being the ability to operate and to have vehicles that we can use to perform our mandate,” he said.
Dr Kavaarpuoaid the enforcement drive was intended to ensure that institutions collecting and processing personal information complied with Act 843.
He explained that all public and private institutions that processed or intended to process personal information were required by law to register with the Commission.
Compliance, he said, extended beyond registration to having appropriate data protection policies, conducting vulnerability and penetration assessments where necessary, undertaking data protection impact assessments for significant processing activities and putting in place adequate safeguards for personal information.
Dr Kavaarpuo said the Commission was particularly concerned about the protection of sensitive information, including children’s and health data, as well as information with national security implications.
He cautioned schools against using children’s photographs for promotional purposes without the required consent, stressing that “those students are there to school. They are not marketing objects.”
On health information, Dr Kavaarpuo said the Commission would pay closer attention to how such data was collected, stored, accessed and shared because of its sensitive nature.
He said the Commission’s enforcement efforts had initially faced challenges because inadequate public awareness meant some institutions only became aware of its mandate when enforcement actions began.
Dr Kavaarpuo said the Commission had, therefore, combined enforcement with public education to improve understanding and compliance.
He said the expanded presence of the Commission would make it more accessible to the public, particularly people seeking redress over data breaches or misuse of personal information.
“Data is as much a national security imperative as it is a commercial or personal nature,” he said, stressing the need for Ghana to safeguard its data infrastructure and protect citizens from identity theft, unauthorised access and other risks.
The Data Protection Commission was established under the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), pursuant to the constitutional right to privacy.
It is mandated to regulate the processing of personal information, promote compliance with data protection requirements and protect individuals from the misuse of their personal data.
GNA
Edited by: Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Edward Acquah
Email: [email protected]
