KOFI ANOKYE OWUSU-DARKO (BLOG 1)

INTRODUCTION It looks like I have to do re-mix some of my earlier articles to give it a refocus since the issues of the EC and biometrics still remains relevant. My concern now is with the Electoral Commission (EC), aside our thumbprint wanting to capture our facials as part of their biometrics database for the purposes of voting. How relevant is this when we are not using e-voting technology but our traditional paper based system? Basically, data protection principles require that data collected must:                                 i.             be obtained and processed fairly,                               ii.  ...

INTRODUCTION Information flow between government and its citizens was deemed by Rt Hon Jack Straw (a UK MP) to not only empower the people but to promote a “vigorous and robust democracy”.   The Right to Information Act, 2019   except under certain exemptions is intended to give the public the “right to know” the type of information held by public bodies. It is an attempt for “greater transparency, accountability and engagement” in government business and should “transform the culture of Government from one of secrecy to one of openness ” . In the UK for example, it led to the resignation by Michael Burgess as coroner for the late lady Diana’s inquest; it led to the disclosure of detailed breakdown of MPs travel expenses after an initial plan by ministers to exempt such disclosure; it led to World Development Movement (WDM) getting information relating to the biggest carbon dioxide polluters in the UK which before the Act would not have been readily available. There is...

Introduction As the world keeps on evolving especially with the age of technological advancement, there is the need for the citizenry to become well-informed about this dynamism in all aspects of their affairs particularly when it comes to matters of biometric database. Biometric databases generally refers to storing digitized templates of biological information unique to an individual such as retina or iris, fingerprints, voice prints, and of face geometry which is matched with what is produced when a person physically presents herself as a reader.   There are basically two ways of storing such digitized templates, on a card which is under the control of owner (data subject) and centralized which is under the control of the one collecting the information (data controller).   Although the benefit of biometric database is unquestionable, there is the downside of abuse of the database. Once it is set up, there can be uses for it without boundaries. The functional...

IS THERE THE NEED TO REVIEW GHANA’S ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT 2008 (ACT772)? INTRODUCTION I have since the passing of Ghana’s Electronic Transactions Act 2008 (Act772) wondered whether it was drafted by pure Information Technology (IT) professionals or pure lawyers or a mix of both. Even a mix of both without having lawyers who are “IT compatible” and IT professionals who are “legally compatible” to appreciate the perspectives of each other is still likely to create a disjoint between the law and how information systems work which to me is what we have created in Act 772. I intend to highlight challenges with respect to a few areas and attempt to give solutions to the following to make my case: ·          E-mailing contracting ·          Electronic Signatures and Digital Signatures ·          Liability in Using E-Government Services ·   ...