No breach of personal data, privacy of telecoms consumers - NCA

THE National Communications Authority (NCA), has allayed the fears of telecom consumers and the general public with an assurance that there has been no breach of personal data and privacy in the compliance of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to the requirements of law.

Reacting to what it described as “misleading consumer privacy breach claims” the telecoms industry regulator said its attention was drawn to some negative media reportage regarding breach of privacy of consumer information and described the allegations as false.

Regulator explains
“The NCA would like to clarify that in March, 2020, we requested passive mobile positioning data logs from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) for undertaking historical and current analysis of persons potentially infected with COVID-19 for contact tracing purposes in accordance with the Establishment of Emergency Communications Systems Instrument, 2020 (E.I. 63),” a release issued in Accra at the weekend said.

The NCA categorically explained that the Instrument required network operators or service providers to cooperate with the NCA Common Platform to provide information to state agencies in case of an emergency, including a public health emergency.

It said contrary to claims that only one out of the many complied with that directive “All MNOs i.e. AirtelTigo, Glo, MTN and Vodafone, complied with the request for information which was subsequently processed and forwarded to the Ghana Health Service for contact tracing purposes.

There was no objection by any party in respect of COVID-19 contact tracing data request until an application for injunction order was filed.”

Earlier developments
Earlier in the week, Vodafone Ghana also issued a statement to reassure its customers of the resolve of the company to protect their data at all times in compliance with the Data Protection Act.

Subsequently, it cautioned its customers to disregard information circulating on social media and online news websites concerning ‘breaches’ in the privacy rights of its customers.

In a release issued by the company on June 15 in Accra, the telecommunication company said the information was a gross misrepresentation of the facts.

It also made reference to the fact that “In March 2020, The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, passed an Executive Instrument (E.I. 63) that mandated the mobile network operators, including Vodafone Ghana, to submit subscriber information known as call data records (CDRs) to the National Communications Authority (NCA).

This formed part of the government’s contact tracing initiative in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. All the mobile network operators complied with the E.I 63,” the released tacitly explained.
 
Analysts position
Some industry analysts have attributed the developments in the sector to the fierce competition within the sector which is creating room for some form of what they described as “nothing but complete mischief”.

They also noted that some political pundits had taken advantage of the situation to paint the government in a negative light by purporting that there were deliberate attempts to tap into the conversations of some political opponents.

They described the situation as most unfortunate and urged calm describing the sector as sensitive and one that needed to be protected because of its value to the socio-economic development of the country.

They also warned that there was the need for “the faceless telcos which are using some unorthodox means to dent the image of a worthy competitor for their selfish interest” to desist from the practice.