The Data Protection Commission, Republic of Ghana, has called for the protection of the privacy and dignity of 1,964 Ghanaian citizens evacuated from South Africa.
In a press release dated 20th October, 2026, the Commission said it has noted with serious concern reports of the public disclosure of personal information relating to the evacuees, including their names, signatures and records of financial assistance received.
According to the Commission, the publication of identifiable personal information, particularly involving individuals who have faced threats to their safety, raises concerns about exposure to unwarranted public scrutiny, identity theft, fraud and other forms of harm.
The Commission cited Article 15(1) of the 1992 Constitution which provides that the dignity of all persons shall be inviolable, while Article 18(2) protects individual privacy. It said these constitutional protections are reinforced by the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), particularly Sections 18, 19 and 20, which address lawful and reasonable processing, minimality and the legal grounds for processing personal data.
While recognizing the importance of transparency, parliamentary oversight, the right to information and freedom of the press, the Commission stressed that the legitimate pursuit of public accountability does not automatically justify the unrestricted disclosure of identifiable personal information.
"Any such disclosure as done by Members of the Minority Caucus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joy News and other media houses must be assessed against the applicable legal requirements, its intended purpose and the rights of the individuals concerned," the statement said.
The Commission acknowledged that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Parliament of Ghana are registered data controllers in good standing with the Commission, but noted that registration does not relieve data controllers of their continuing obligations under Act 843.
Accordingly, the Commission is calling on the Minority Caucus of Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joy News and other media houses to exercise due diligence in their handling, disclosure and publication of the records concerned.
All parties have been urged to take appropriate protective measures, including the immediate restriction or redaction of publicly accessible personal identifiers whose continued disclosure is not lawfully justified.
The Commission says it will undertake a regulatory review to examine the legal basis for the disclosures, the safeguards applied and the extent to which the privacy rights of the affected individuals have been protected. It will engage the relevant parties within its statutory mandate.
Where non-compliance is established, the Commission said it will take appropriate regulatory action in accordance with Act 843.
"The right to privacy and personal dignity must remain central to the exercise of public accountability," the Commission added, reminding public institutions, media organisations and other persons processing personal data that compliance is a continuing responsibility.