Data Protection Act, 2012 - NITA

1 1 data Protection Act, 2012 data Protection Act, 2012 SectionARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONSData Protection ofData Protection ofthe ofthe body ofthe ofoffice ofthe ofExecutive ofthe Executive ofother staffFinances ofthe ofthe and report and other reportsApplication ofprinciples ofdata ofthe ofpersonal , justificationand ofpersonal ofdata for specific subject to be madeaware ofpurpose processing to be compatible with purpose ofdata controllerData Protection Act, processed by data processor or an authorised processor to comply with security ofsecurity to personal ofpersonal ofaccessRights ofdata subjects and ofaccess to personal bureau as data controllerProcessing ofspecial personal ofspecial personal data to prevent processing ofpersonal to prevent processing ofpersonal data for direct in relation to automated in relation toexempt manual for failure to , blocking, erasure and destruction ofpersonal ofthe ActData Protection ofData for refuse ofpersonal data without registration by the tonotify to registerData Protection Act, ofdata Protection and , education and , literature and , history and references given by data appointments and service or ministerial for by the to comply with officersRecords obtained under data subject s right request for personal data for health recordsInformation provided to andgeneral dutiesofthe to purchase, obtain or disclose personal ofsale ofpersonal to the ofnotices by electronic or ofnotices by the and THE PARLIAMENT OFTHE REPUBLICOF GHANAENTITLEDDATAPROTECTIONACT, 2012 ANACT toestablishaDataProtectionCommission,top rotecttheprivacy ofthe individual and personal data by regulating the processing of personalinformation.

2 To providethe process to obtain, hold, use or disclose personalinformation and for related : 10th May, 2012 PASSEDbyParliament and assented to by the President: data Protection CommissionEstablishment ofData Protection Commission1.(1)ThereisestablishedbythisA ctaDataProtectionCommission. (2)Wherethereishindrancetotheacquisition ofproperty,thepropertymaybeacquiredforth eCommissionundertheStatePropertyandContr actsAct,1960( )ortheStateLandsAct,1962(Act125)and the costs shall be borne by the ofthe object ofthe Commission is to(a)protecttheprivacyoftheindividualand personaldatabyregulating the processing ofpersonal information, and(b)providetheprocesstoobtain,hold, ofthe achieve the object, the Commission shall(a)implementandmonitorcompliancewit htheprovisionsof thisAct;(b)maketheadministrativearrangem entsitconsidersappropriate forthe discharge ofits duties;(c)investigateanycomplaintunderth isActanddetermineit in themanner the Commission considers fair; and(d)keep and maintain the data body oftheCommission4.

3 (1)ThegoverningbodyoftheCommissionisaBoa rdconsistingof(a)a chairperson;(b)one representative from the following:(i)NationalCommunicationsAutho ritynotbelowtherank ofa Director;(ii)CommissiononHumanRightsandA dministrativeJusticenotbelowtherankofaDe putyCommissioner;(iii)MinistryofCommunic ationsnotbelowtherankofa Director;(iv)NationalInformationTechnolo gyAgencynotbelowthe rank ofa Director;(v)BankofGhananotbelowthelevelo fDeputyGovernor; and(vi)StatisticalServicenotbelowtherank ofaDirector;(c)one representative elected by the IndustryForum;(d)twootherpersonsnominate dbythePresidentatleastoneofwhom is awoman; and(e)the ExecutiveDirector ofthe Commission.(2)ThemembersoftheBoardshallb eappointedbythePresident inaccordance with article 70 ofthe Constitution.(3)TheBoardshallensurethepr operandeffectiveperformanceof thefunctions ofthe ofoffice ofmembers5.(1)AmemberoftheBoardshallhold officeforaperiodnotexceedingthreeyearsan diseligibleforre-appointmentbutamembersh allnot be appointed for more than two terms.

4 (2)Subsection(1)doesnotapplytotheExecuti veDirectoroftheCommission.(3)Amemberofth eBoardmayatanytimeresignfromofficein writingaddressed to the President through the Minister.(4)AmemberoftheBoard,otherthant heExecutiveDirector whoisabsentfromthreeconsecutivemeetingso ftheBoardwithoutsufficient causeceases to be a member ofthe Board.(5)ThePresidentmaybyletteraddresse dtoamemberrevoketheappointment ofthat member.(6)WhereamemberoftheBoardis,foras ufficientreason,unabletoactasamember,the Ministershalldeterminewhethertheinabilit ywould result in thedeclaration ofavacancy.(7)Where there is avacancy(a)under subsection (3) or (4) or section 7 (2);(b)as a result ofa declaration under subsection (6); or(c)byreason ofthe death ofa membertheMinistershallnotifythePresident ofthevacancyandthePresident shallappoint a person to fill ofthe Board6.(1)The Board shallmeet at leastonceeverythree months forthe despatchofbusiness at the times and in the places determined by the chairperson.

5 (2)The chairperson shall at the request in writing ofnot less thanone-thirdofthemembershipoftheBoardco nveneanextra-ordinarymeetingoftheBoardat theplaceandtimedeterminedbythechairperso n.(3)ThequorumatameetingoftheBoardisseve nmembersof theBoard or agreaternumber determined by the Board in respect ofan importantmatter.(4)The chairperson shall preside at meetings ofthe Board and in theabsenceofthe chairperson,a member ofthe Board electedby the memberspresent from among theirnumber shall preside.(5)MattersbeforetheBoardshallbed ecidedbyamajorityofthememberspresentandv otingandintheeventofanequalityofvotes,th epersonpresiding shall have a castingvote.(6)TheBoardmayco-optapersont oattendaBoardmeetingbut thatperson shall notvote on a matter for decision at the ofinterest7.(1)A member ofthe Board who has an interest in a matterforconsideration(a)shalldiscloseth enatureoftheinterestandthedisclosure shallformpartoftherecordoftheconsiderati on ofthe matter; and(b)shallnotparticipateinthedeliberati onsoftheBoardin respectofthat matter.

6 (2)AmemberceasestobeamemberoftheBoardift hatmember hasan interest on a matter before the Board and(a)fails to disclose that interest; or(b)participatesinthedeliberationsofthe Boardinrespectofthe ofcommittees8.(1)TheBoardmayestablishcom mitteesconsistingofmembersof theBoard or non-members or both to perform a function.(2)AcommitteeoftheBoardmaybecha iredbyamemberoftheBoard.(3)Section 7 applies to members ofcommittees ofthe oftheBoard and members ofa committee oftheBoard shallbepaidtheallowancesapprovedbytheMin isterinconsultationwith the Ministerresponsible for ofExecutive Director11.(1)ThePresidentshall,inaccord ancewitharticle195oftheConstitution,appo int an Executive Director for the Commission.(2)TheExecutiveDirectorshallh oldofficeonthetermsandconditions specified in the letter ofappointment.(3)TheExecutiveDirectorsha llbeapersonofhighmoralcharacter and integrity with therelevantqualificationsandexperience relatedto the functions ofthe ofthe Executive Director12.

7 (1)The Executive Director is responsible for(a)thedaytodayadministrationoftheaffa irsoftheCommis-sion andis answerable to the Board in the performance of functions underthis Act, and(b)theimplementation ofthe decisions ofthe Board.(2)TheExecutiveDirectorshallperfor manyotherfunctionsdetermined by the Board.(3)TheExecutiveDirectormaydelegate afunctiontoanofficeroftheCommissionbutsh allnotberelievedoftheultimateresponsibil ity for theperformance ofthe delegated ofother staff13.(1)ThePresidentshallinaccordance witharticle195oftheConstitutionappointfo rtheCommissionotherstaffthatarenecessary fortheproper and effective performance ofits functions.(2)Otherpublicofficersmaybetra nsferredorsecondedtotheCommission or may otherwise give assistance to it.(3)TheCommissionmayengagetheserviceso f advisersandconsultants on the recommendation ofthe ofthe CommissionFunds ofthe funds ofthe Commission include(a)moneys approved byParliament;(b)donationsandgrantstotheC ommissionforitsactivities underthis Act;(c)moneysthataccruetotheCommissionin theperformance ofitsfunctions;and(d)anyothermoneysthata reapprovedbytheMinisterresponsible for and audit15.

8 (1)TheBoardshallkeepbooksofaccountsandpr operrecordsin relationto them in the form approved by theAuditor-General.(2)TheBoardshallsubmi ttheaccountsoftheCommissionto theAuditor-General for audit within three months after the end ofthe financialyear.(3)TheAuditor-General shall, not later than three months after thereceiptoftheaccounts,audittheaccounts andforwardacopyofthe auditreport to the report and other reports16.(1)TheBoardshallwithinonemonth afterthereceiptoftheauditreport,submitan annualreporttotheMinistercoveringtheacti vitiesand theoperationsoftheCommissionfortheyearto whichthereportrelates.(2)Theannualreport shallincludethereportoftheAuditor-Genera l.(3)The Minister shall, within one month after the receipt ofthe annualreport, submitthe report toParliamentwithastatement that the Ministerconsiders necessary.(4)The Board shall also submit to the Minister any other reports whichthe Minister may require in ofdata Protection principlesPrivacy ofthe oftheindividual by applying the following principles:(a)accountability,(b)lawfulne ss ofprocessing,(c)specification ofpurpose,(d)compatibilityoffurtherproce ssingwithpurposeofcol-lection,(e)quality ofinformation,(f)openness,(g) data security safeguards, and(h) data subject ofpersonal data18.

9 (1)Apersonwhoprocessespersonaldatashalle nsurethatthepersonal datais processed(a)without infringing the privacy rights ofthe data subject;(b)in a lawful manner; and(c)in a reasonable manner.(2)Adatacontrollerorprocessorshal linrespectofforeigndatasubjectsensuretha tpersonaldataisprocessedincompliancewith dataprotectionlegislationoftheforeignjur isdictionofthatsubjectwherepersonal data originating from that jurisdictionis sent to this country is to beprocessed, is necessary, relevant and , justification and objection20.(1)Apersonshallnotprocessper sonaldatawithoutthepriorcon-sentofthedat asubjectunlessthepurposeforwhichtheperso naldatais processed is(a)necessaryforthepurposeofacontractto whichthedata subjectis a party;(b)authorised or required by law;(c)to protect a legitimate interest ofthe data subject;(d)necessaryfortheproperperforma nceofastatutoryduty;or(e)necessarytopurs uethelegitimateinterestofthedatacon-trol leror a third party to whom the data is supplied.

10 (2)Unlessotherwiseprovidedbylaw,adatasub jectmayobjectto theprocessing ofpersonal data .(3)Whereadatasubjectobjectstothepro cessingofpersonaldata, theperson who processes the personal data shall stop the processing of the ofpersonal data21.(1)Apersonshallcollectpersonaldat adirectlyfromthedatasubject.(2)Despitesu bsection(1),personaldatamaybecollectedin directly where:(a)the data is contained in a public record;(b)the data subject has deliberately made the data public;(c)thedatasubjecthasconsentedtoth ecollectionoftheinformation from another source;(d)thecollectionofthedatafromanot hersourceisnotlikely toprejudice a legitimate interest ofthe data subject;(e)thecollectionofthedatafromano thersourceisnecessary: (i)fortheprevention,detection,investigat ion,prosecution orpunishmentofan offence or breach oflaw;(ii)fortheenforcementofalawwhichim posesapecuniarypenalty;(iii)fortheenforc ementofalawwhichconcernsrevenuecollectio n;(iv)for the conduct ofproceedings before any court ortribunalthathavecommencedorarereasonab ly contemplated;(v)for the Protection ofnational security; or(vi)fortheprotectionoftheinterestsofar esponsibleor thirdpartyto whom the information is supplied;(f)compliancewouldprejudicealaw fulpurposeforthecollection.