The 2026 Data Protection Week was yesterday launched in Accra, with a call on Ghanaians to be vigilant about the sharing of their personal data.

According to the Executive Director of the Data Protection Commission (DPC), Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo, personal data was not passive; it represents identity, choices, behaviour and opportunity.

“Recognising that “your data is your identity” requires individuals to take a keen and active interest in how their data is collected, used, shared and protected,” he said.

Dr Kavaarpuo said “data protection is no longer a niche regulatory concern. It affects how Ghanaians use mobile money, access healthcare, and interact online. If data is misused or poorly protected, it is not the systems that fail, but the people.”

He disclosed that the Commission had observed instances where personal data was shared without consent, resulting in unauthorised digital loans and financial distress.

 Others, he said, have encountered situations where health records or biometric information were accessed or disclosed improperly, undermining confidence in essential services.

“There have also been cases where personal data collected for one purpose is reused for another, without transparency or a lawful basis,” Dr Kavaarpuo noted.

Dr Kavaarpuo called on institutions to respect individual agency by embedding privacy, consent and accountability into the design of digital systems, adding that “Trust in Ghana’s digital future can only be sustained when both citizens and institutions act deliberately to protect personal data.”

The Data Protection Act, he said, provided clear guidelines on compliance.

“Clause 27(1) requires a data controller intending to process personal data to register with the Commission, a duty reinforced under Clauses 46(3) and 53, which emphasize lawful data processing,” he said

The Deputy Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Mohammed Adams Sukparu, launching the event, reiterated the government’s continuous commitment to invest in digital systems to give citizens confidence to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

“Privacy is not a privilege; it is a right. Protecting personal data is a shared responsibility,” he said, noting that the government would continue to support the Commission in delivering its mandate.

The President of the Ghana Association of Privacy Professionals (GAPP), Emmanuel Gadasu, called for urgent investment in data professionals to mitigate incidents where personal information was used without consent and to enforce compliance.