Cyber hygiene key for public safety – Dr. Albert Antwi Boasiako

The Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, has stressed the need for users of digital systems to acquire basic cyber hygiene skills to ensure safety, in view of the increasing cyberattacks.

He stated that it is important for digital citizens, especially mobile money users, to appreciate cyber hygiene best practices given the fact that “digital platforms have become common places for all businesses’’.

Dr. Antwi-Boasiako made these remarks during a courtesy call on the Management of the CSA by the Deputy Minister for Information, Hon. Fatimatu Abubakar, in Accra on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.

The Deputy Minister was accompanied by her Aid, Mr. Jamil Mohammed AbdulRahman, and Administrative Officer, Ms Aisha Jibril. The visit by the Deputy Minister was to acquaint herself with the operations of the
CSA, and the trajectory of growth since its establishment as an Authority in 2021.

Welcoming the Deputy Minister, Dr Antwi-Boasiako lauded her for her inner resilience amid the current challenges. “I see the role you are playing at the Ministry, and I commend you at the individual level for your inner resilience”, he said.

Briefing the Deputy Minister about the activities of the CSA, the Director-General stressed on the significance of the annual National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) which comes off in October, as the biggest, and most impactful annual event on the CSA’s calendar.

Additionally, he informed Hon. Abubakar of the upcoming Global Conference on Cyber Capacity Building (GC3B), a first-of-its-kind event scheduled to take place in Ghana in November this year and requested that the Ministry uses its platforms to promote the Conference.

Dr. Antwi-Boasiako highlighted that Ghana was selected after a highly competitive process based on its cybersecurity stride and engagements in international cooperation activities. He added that, other countries such as France, Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, amongst others, submitted bids to host the Conference but Ghana was the preferred choice for the organisers.

According to Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, the CSA is committed to driving Ghana’s goal of becoming number one (1) in Africa and amongst the first twenty-five (25) countries globally in the next Global Cybersecurity Index by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

Regarding the CSA’s visibility and accessibility to stakeholders, the Director-General reiterated the need to maintain a neutral stance as a security sector institution in the execution of its mandate and to leverage on channels available to broadcast the achievements of the CSA.

He, therefore, implored the Deputy Minister to assist the CSA in publishing its monthly advisories and alerts on the Ministry’s platforms for a wider reach.

Responding to these remarks, Hon. Fatimatu Abubakar commended the CSA for its achievements, despite the few years of its establishment.

Expressing her support for the CSA on matters relating to content publicity, Hon. Abubakar noted that the Ministry was committed to delivering excellence in the areas of public relations, giving the CSA an opportunity to disseminate information to the media using all available channels.

Shedding light on the Ministry’s campaign against Misinformation and Disinformation, Hon. Abubakar stated that it is necessary for state agencies to provide the mechanisms for the public to verify first before information is disseminated.