Communications Minister-designate Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has revealed that the Data Protection Commission has been working with temporary staff due to financial constraints.

She, however, said the government is working with the Commission to get the financial problems resolved to enable the Commission regularize the staff.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said these during her vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday, February 15.

When asked by Haruna Iddrisu, Member of Parliament for Tamale South to explain the inability of the Commission to employ the temporary staff, she said “Many of the staff at the Data Protection Commission are temporary because of the funding challenges that they have currently. But we are working with them to resolve that.”

The Ablekuma West lawmaker added “I have told them to also act in accordance with the law because they can’t keep temporarily employing people for more than 6 months.”

She further stated that “All data controllers who gather personal data of everybody is required to register with the Data Protection Unit. I am not sure even if parliament is registered with the Data protection unit but I will check.

“I will check that they will work with all data controllers to make sure that the data gathered is utilized and held in accordance with the law.”