The Data Protection Commission has pledged its support for the Electricity Company of Ghana as the utility begins implementing four international management system standards to strengthen information security, business continuity, IT service delivery and enterprise risk management.
The programmes cover ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 20000 and ISO 31000.
Speaking at the launch, the Executive Director of the Data Protection Commission, Dr Arnold Kavaarpuo, said the initiative was an important step towards building a more secure, resilient and future-ready ECG.
He noted that ECG’s role was central not only to the delivery of electricity but also to Ghana’s wider digital and artificial intelligence ambitions.
“Electricity powers our homes, hospitals, schools and businesses. Increasingly, it also powers the data centres, communication systems and digital platforms on which Ghana’s future will depend,” Dr Kavaarpuo said.
He called for the development of a modern, integrated and digitally enabled electricity grid capable of supporting Ghana’s changing technological needs.
According to him, the grid of the future must combine reliable electricity distribution with secure communications, sensors and two-way information flows that enable operators to monitor demand, identify faults and respond more effectively to disruptions.
“We must build an electricity grid that is intelligent, integrated and capable of continuous upgrading. It must provide the reliable and scalable power required for data centres, digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence,” he said.
Dr Kavaarpuo stressed that Ghana’s AI ambitions would depend on more than computing capacity and technical expertise.
“There can be no AI economy without reliable electricity, and there can be no trusted digital economy without secure and resilient systems,” he stated.
He said ECG’s adoption of the four standards should be viewed as more than a certification exercise.
The programmes, he explained, should strengthen how the company protects information, manages disruptions, delivers technology services and responds to institutional risks.
“The real value of these standards will be seen in how they shape daily decisions, organisational culture, incident response and service delivery,” he said.
Dr Kavaarpuo pledged the support of the Data Protection Commission and said the Commission would continue to provide regulatory guidance as ECG strengthened compliance with the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843).
He added that information security was a core component of data protection and urged ECG to incorporate privacy, security and accountability into the design of new systems and infrastructure.
The Executive Director commended the Managing Director of ECG, Ing. Julius Kwame Kpekpena, and the Board Chairman, Mr Amuna, for providing the leadership and institutional backing for the initiative.
He also gave special recognition to the Chief Information Security Officer, Mr Roger Akrong, for driving the programme and translating the organisation’s ambitions into a coordinated implementation effort.
“Leadership matters when ambition is translated into systems, standards and sustainable institutional practice,” Dr Kavaarpuo said.
The Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, Mr Divine Selase Agbeti, also delivered a keynote address at the event, highlighting the importance of cybersecurity and institutional resilience in protecting Ghana’s critical infrastructure.
Dr Kavaarpuo said the participation of the Cyber Security Authority reflected the close relationship among cybersecurity, data protection, business continuity and national security.
He called for continued collaboration among ECG, the Data Protection Commission, the Cyber Security Authority and other relevant institutions to protect essential national infrastructure.
He congratulated the Board, management and staff of ECG and urged the company to ensure that the standards became embedded across the organisation.
“The measure of success will not be the launch itself, but whether these standards improve the security, resilience and quality of service ECG provides to the people of Ghana,” he said.
By Sampson Kumah Ifeetwube Taachaa Elvis
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