251 companies, institutions given ultimatum … to register with Data Protection C’ssion

At least 251 individual companies and institutions have been given two weeks to register with the Data Protection Commission (DPC) or face prosecution.

They are part of 800,000 companies and institutions, which have, since October 2020, not complied with Section 46 of the Data Protection Act that required companies to register with the DPC.

The list of defaulters was submitted to the Office of the Public Prosecution at the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, by Executive Director of DPC, Mrs Patricia Adusei-Poku,for the necessary action, at a meeting in Accra, yesterday.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, she said the list was the first batch of defaulters to be submitted for possible prosecution.

MrsAdusei-Pokunoted that the Commission was in the process of releasing the full list of defaulters and take the required action to ensure compliance.

She said defaulting individual companies and institutions were given amnesty of six months, in 2020, to allow them to register in accordance with the Commission Act, but failed to do so.

The defaulting companies and institutions whose names have been captured, she stated, owed the Commission GH¢1.5 million.

MrsAdusei-Pokusaid that the DPC had series of engagements with the companies and institutions to educate them on the roles of the Commission and the rights of individuals to have their data protected.

She said following discussions with officials at the Office of the Public Prosecution, the Commission agreed to give defaulters an opportunity to register.

MrsAdusei-Pokusaid the commission would formally write to the companies to remind them of their obligation.

The defaulters, she indicated were expected to respond to the letter through a statement explaining reasons for their failure.

Mrs Adusei-Poku indicated that the Commission was in discussions with the Office of the Chief Justice for the establishment of a fast-track court for the prosecution of data protection cases.

BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS