UG School of Law to launch ‘Africa Data Protection Law and Policy Centre’

The University of Ghana School of Law is set to be the home of the Africa Data Protection Law and Policy Centre in collaboration with its German partners, the University of Passau.

The Centre, which is expected to be launched officially on Thursday, September 14, 2022, will be a knowledge hub that will receive issues relating to data in the country and beyond, conduct academic research, and contribute effectively to policy-making on the same.

Data protection is the process of safeguarding important information from corruption, compromise, or loss.

The importance of data protection increases as the amount of data created and stored continues to grow at unprecedented rates.

In Ghana, the Data Protection Commission is the agency established under the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) to protect the privacy of individual and personal data by regulating the processing of personal information. The Commission provides for the process to obtain, hold, use or disclose personal information and for other related issues bordering on the protection of personal data.

Speaking to the Press on the sidelines of the ‘Hybrid Conference on the African Data Protection Law: Regulation, Practice, and Policy, Dean of the School of Law, Professor Raymond Atuguba revealed that two programs (Master of Arts and Master of Law in ICT Law) which will have their base in Data Protection are to be introduced in January next year by the School.

He debunked claims that the establishment of the Centre is an affront to the roles of the that Data Protection Commission noting that developments in the area of Data Protection are new and going so fast that it will only take an academic Institution like the University of Ghana to assist the Commission in order not to fall short of its mandate.

Additionally, Prof Atuguba asserted that the new Centre will have a very tight collaboration with the Data Protection Commission and that there have already been several meetings held to that effect and added that even when they developed the concept, they contacted the Commission for corrections and inputs making sure that the University works with the Commission at every step of the way.

State of Data Protection Enforcement in Ghana, Africa

On the state of Data Protection enforcement in Ghana and Africa, the Dean noted that to measure our shortfalls or otherwise, it ought to be put in proper context in order not to mislead the public. 

He however said that Ghana has a long way to go to catch up to make Ghanaians feel that their data is both available within bounds and also protected.

Effectiveness of the Data Protection Act to protect privacy

Prof Atuguba indicated that there is a need to add to the regulations that are being prepared and those that can be further prepared to make it enough.

“A lot of work needs to be done. The Act itself states that the Minister can make regulations to improve upon the implementation of the Act.”

Which will make it effective?: Data Protection Commission or Authority

On this issue, the Dean of the UG School of Law said that the fact that it is a Commission does not make it less effective and that most people believe that Commissions are rather to be more powerful than Authorities because in British Executive and Parliamentary practice, to be a Commission means you’ve been commissioned by the Head of State.

“Technically and historically, Commissions are higher  and more powerful.”