Accra, Sept.14, GNA—Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Acting Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), has urged Ghanaians to be cybersecurity conscious amid recent global cyber incidents that have negatively affected individuals, businesses, and other critical information infrastructure.
He said with the advancement in modern technology and the wide use of the internet, cybercriminals had leveraged the benefits of the internet to carry out their activities more covertly, thereby causing harm to individuals and businesses in the cruelest manner.
“While digitalisation is bringing remarkable economic and societal benefits to majority of the global population, it is worth noting that these technologies, irrespective of the opportunities they create, have inherent risks such that when taken advantage of by cybercriminals, could have detrimental effects on individuals, enterprises, societies, and nations at large.”
Dr Antwi-Boasiako gave the advice on Wednesday at the media launch of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in Accra.
The NCSAM, institutionalised since October 2018, is the leading event within the cybersecurity space that educates children, the public, businesses, and government stakeholders on cyber hygiene best practices.
This year’s celebration, under the theme; “Regulating Cybersecurity: A Public-Private Sector Collaborative Approach,” will help build synergies among all relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance with cybersecurity regulations.
He said the rise in cybercrimes globally had led the Authority to intensify public awareness and enhance public-private sector understanding of cybersecurity regulations hence, the National Cyber Security Awareness Month.
Dr Antwi-Boasiako said collaborative regulations were necessary to bring both the public and private sector stakeholders together towards achieving a secure and resilient digital Ghana.
He said the internet offered several opportunities for improving the lives of children through access to information for the benefit of their education, health, and social wellbeing.
However, Dr Antwi-Boasiako said many children were becoming prone to criminal online practices, which were detrimental to their development.
“The Cyber Security Authority, as a regulator, is committed to ensuring the protection of children online per its mandate in the Cybersecurity Act 2020. In furtherance of the mandate, the Child Online Protection Framework has been revised to ensure the utmost safety of our children online,” he added.
He said the CSA was available to work with all stakeholders who needed assistance and guidance with respect to creating awareness on cybersecurity this October and subsequently.
Madam Ama Pomaa Boateng, Deputy Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, said though government had put in place appropriate measures for the attainment of a reliable and robust digital economy, the digital space was still prone to varying cyberattacks, which must be a concern for all.
She said fighting cybercrime was a collective responsibility, adding that government was leading an all hands-on-deck approach to combating the menace.
Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Chamber Telecommunications, urged all stakeholders to participate fully in the month-long event.
He said for the awareness programme to achieve its desired outcome, the public and private sectors, faith-based organisations, Civil Society Organisations and the media should come on board and educate members on cybersecurity.
