Privacy & Confidentiality Policy

Introduction

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) is mandated under the Statistical Service Act, 2019 (Act 1003) to collect, compile, analyze, and disseminate official statistics in Ghana.

GSS is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of all information provided by individuals, households, businesses, and institutions.

This Privacy and Confidentiality Policy explains how data are collected, used, stored, protected, and disseminated in accordance with national laws and international statistical standards.

Legal Framework

The protection of data collected by GSS is governed by:

• Statistical Service Act, 2019 (Act 1003)
• Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843)
• UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics
• African Charter on Statistics
• Relevant international best practices

Confidentiality of Statistical Information

3.1 Protection of Respondents

• Used strictly for statistical purposes
• Treated as confidential
• Protected against unauthorized disclosure

GSS does not release:

• Names of individuals or businesses
• Addresses or contact details
• Identification numbers
• Any information that could directly or indirectly identify a respondent

Legal Obligation of Staff

All GSS staff, temporary field officers, consultants, and partners are legally bound by confidentiality obligations.

Before accessing data, personnel are required to:

• Take an Oath of Secrecy
• Sign Confidentiality Agreements
• Comply with internal information security policies

Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information constitutes an offence under Act 1003.

Use of Data

Information collected by GSS is used only for:

• Producing official statistics
• Policy formulation and planning
• Research and development
• Monitoring national development indicators

Data are never used for:

• Tax assessment
• Law enforcement
• Immigration control
• Commercial marketing
• Administrative sanctions

Data Anonymization and Disclosure Control

Before dissemination:

• Personal identifiers are removed
• Data are aggregated
• Statistical disclosure control methods are applied

These measures ensure that no individual or business can be identified and published statistics represent groups, not persons.

Data Access and Sharing

6.1 Public Access

GSS publishes aggregated statistical data through:

• Official reports and publications
• The GSS website
• Online data portals and dashboards

All publicly released data are fully anonymized.

Restricted Microdata Access

Access to anonymized microdata may be granted under controlled conditions for:

• Academic research
• Policy analysis
• Institutional studies

Such access is subject to formal application and approval, signed data access agreements, strict usage conditions, and no attempt at respondent identification.

Data Security Measures

GSS employs robust technical and organizational safeguards, including:

• Secure servers and databases
• Access control and user authentication
• Encryption of sensitive data
• Regular system monitoring and audits
• Backup and disaster recovery procedures

These measures protect data against unauthorized access, loss or destruction, alteration, or misuse.

Privacy of Website Users

When you visit the GSS website:

• No personally identifiable information is collected without consent
• Basic technical information (such as browser type or IP address) may be logged for security and analytics purposes
• Cookies may be used to enhance user experience

GSS does not sell, trade, or share website user information with third parties for commercial purposes.

Rights of Data Providers

All respondents have the right to:

• Be informed of the purpose of data collection
• Expect confidentiality of their responses
• Decline to answer questions not required by law
• Receive assurance that their information will not be misused

Participation in surveys and censuses is protected by law, and confidentiality is guaranteed.

Breach Management

In the unlikely event of a data breach, GSS will:

• Immediately investigate the incident
• Contain and mitigate potential risks
• Notify relevant authorities where required
• Strengthen controls to prevent recurrence

Updates to This Policy

This Privacy and Confidentiality Policy may be updated periodically to reflect:

• Changes in legislation
• Technological advancements
• Institutional reforms

Any updates will be published on the GSS website.

Contact Information

For enquiries related to privacy, confidentiality, or data protection, please contact:

Ghana Statistical Service

Head Office, Accra, Ghana

Email: info@statsghana.gov.gh

Website: https://statsghana.gov.gh