Government has granted a six months amnesty to all defaulting Data Controllers, urging them to take advantage and get registered "to be in good standing" with Data Protection Commission.

It begins from 1st October this year to 31st match 2021, the Minister of Communication Ursula Owusu says.

It comes as part of moves by Government to ensure entities regularize their operations in the country.

Speaking at the launch of a new Data Protection Registration and Compliance software in Accra,  Minister Ursula Owusu warned that  punitive enforcement of the law will be effected against Data Controllers, who continue to default.

"Considering the impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on businesses, and in accordance with the regulations of section 94 of Act 843 empowering the Minster to extend the transitional period for Data Controllers, I have directed the Commission to grant an Amnesty for six months from the 1st of October 2020 to 31st March 2021 to allow defaulting Data Controllers to register with the Commission, and pay just the current years amount due; waiving any applicable arrears."

She touted the performance of the DPC, saying it now has the capability to determine the total areas owed from May 2012 when controllers submit an application to register.

"The New Registration Software has the functionality to calculate all payments due to the Commission since 2012 when the law became effective," she added.

She revealed that several entities have failed to register since 2012 but says the Commission has refrained from reprimanding them to give them a second chance of registering.

"The Commission solely relies on Internally Generated Funds (IGF) and donor funds and so it expects all affected by the Act 843 (which is every entity in the country), to duly register and pay the required fees but unfortunately, several qualifying entities have failed to register with the commission since 2012," she said.

"Though they should have been sanctioned under the law, the commission has refrained from doing so while it steps up public education.

"However, with the support of the Ministry of Communications, Arrears Invoice generation is now possible for every incorporated business and established entities that process personal data , with this software.

"What this means practically is that the New Registration Software has the functionality to calculate all payments due to the Commission since 2012 when the law became effective."

She said the move to get entities registered is in compliance with the transitional provisions in section 97 of the Act 843, which stipulate that i entities that existed before May 2012, should have registered within 3 months (from August 2012) and renewed their licence every 2 years. i.e. 2014, 2016, 2018 and this year 2020. It also expects newly incorporated entities should register within 20 days of the business commencement.

The launch of the new software comes in line with the Government's declaration of October of as Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

She said the work of the Ghana Data Protection Commission has been recognised globally and it has been invited to participate in several international fora as the regional thought leader and trailblazer for the African Region and developing countries.

According to the MP for Ablekuma West, the UN has also selected Ghana as a casestudy nation to research and monitor the Ethics of Artifical Intelligence in the processing of personal data for the region adding that "the knowledge gained will be used to set best practice standards for the region.

She noted that the her, with the cross-functional delivery of its agencies, is systematically closing the digital gap with various interventions, weaving together the strands of achievement to ensure that we are progressively delivering transparency and promoting efficiency and trust in public and private institutions for a transformed Ghana.

The launch of a new Data Protection Registration and Compliance software, according the Government, forms a paradigm shift on the need to protect personal data.