Telecommunication company, Vodafone, has clarified reasons it submitted some subscriber data to the National Communication Authority (NCA).
There were media reports that the telecom giant had ‘breached’ customer privacy after it surrendered subscriber information to Kelni GVG in response to the Presidential directive in the wake of COVID-19.
But Vodafone has denied the reports.
A statement issued by the company described the media reports as a “gross misrepresentation of facts”.
“Our attention has been drawn to some information circulating on social media and online news websites concerning ‘breaches’ in the privacy rights of Vodafone Ghana customers. This information is a gross misrepresentation of the facts,” the statement said.
It added, “In March 2020, The President of Ghana, H.E. 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 Executive Instrument was subsequently challenged by a customer, who filed an application at the High Court for an injunction to stop all mobile network operators from sharing his data with the National Communications Authority (NCA).
“Upon receipt of the injunction application, Vodafone Ghana immediately stopped the transmission of all subscriber data related to the contact tracing initiative, pending the court’s ruling on the case, scheduled for 23rd June 2020,” it said.
The statement, however, gave the assurance that the company would continue to protect the data of its customers while upholding the rule of law at all times.
“Vodafone Ghana has acted responsibly and transparently in abiding by the laws of Ghana and categorically rejects all claims that there has been a breach in the privacy rights of our valued customers.
“We will always uphold the rule of law and comply with our legal and regulatory obligations including the Data Protection Act,” it said.
