The Data Protection Act: what organisations must do
If you collect personal information about customers or staff, Act 843 applies to you. The core duties in plain terms.
· 1 min read
The Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) governs how personal information is collected, used, stored and shared in Ghana. It set up the Data Protection Commission to enforce it.
Register with the Commission
Organisations that process personal data (data controllers) must register with the Data Protection Commission and renew that registration.
The data protection principles
The Act sets out principles that every controller must follow, including accountability, lawful processing, collecting data only for a specific purpose, keeping it accurate, being open with the people concerned and keeping it secure.
Rights of individuals
People can ask what information an organisation holds about them and ask for inaccurate information to be corrected. Consent matters, especially for direct marketing.
Practical steps
- Know what personal data you hold and why.
- Put a clear privacy notice in place.
- Limit who can access the data and protect it technically.
- Have a plan for responding to a breach.
Sources
- Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843)
- Data Protection Commission
- GhaLII, Ghana Legal Information Institute (texts of Ghanaian statutes and judgments)
This article is general information about Ghanaian law, not legal advice. Speak to a lawyer about your own situation.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Please contact us about your own situation.
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