Digitalisation without cybersecurity is meaningless – Ursula

Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has said cybersecurity is critical to the country’s progress made towards digitalization because it can derail the gains made, undermine its social and economic well-being, as well as national security.

According to her, cybersecurity should be the foremost in every Ghanaian institution to consolidate the country’s gains in government’s digitalisation agenda and protection of valuable information.

She made this known while inaugurating an 18-member Joint Cybersecurity Committee (JCC) that will be chaired by the Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako.

“Your appointment and the inauguration of the JCC is an important milestone in Ghana’s Cybersecurity development and we are hopeful that through your work, we will be able to address critical cybersecurity issues affecting the country, including the protection of critical information infrastructure, effective criminal justice response to cybercrimes, awareness creation among public sector officials, public-private sector collaboration and relevant international cooperation to make Ghana a truly cyber secured nation.

“We cannot sustain our digitalisation efforts without cybersecurity. Cyber-attacks could undermine our gains in digitalisation as well as our social and economic well-being and consequently, impact on our national security. In order to achieve a secure and resilient digital economy, each and every one of us will have to play our part. I have no doubt your experiences and expertise, individually and collectively, will be very instrumental in our fight against cybercrime and help improve Ghana’s cybersecurity profile.”

Task

The Ablekuma West lawmaker further charged the Committee members to work closely with relevant stakeholders, most especially the private sector to ensure successful implementation of policies, among others.

Cybersecurity, she said, demands a multi-sectoral approach to tackle issues adding that, “this is not time for turf wars and working in silos.”

According to her, coordinating efforts, collaborating and cooperating among the different stakeholders is critical and will ensure the country’s collective end to cybercrime activities.

“Cybersecurity is multi-sectoral and demands a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the issues. Collaboration among different stakeholders and public and private sector collaboration is absolutely critical. I therefore urge you to work with the Authority and the private sector through the Industry Forum which is the process of being established. This is not the time for turf wars and working in silos and you need to coordinate your efforts, collaborate and cooperate with each other to succeed. We are all in this together and the country demands this of you to ensure our collective cybersecurity.

“The JCC has been set up pursuant to section 13 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) to collaborate with the Authority and the sectors or institutions represented on the committee and beyond, for the implementation of relevant cybersecurity measures. I also urge you to familiarise yourselves with your enabling legislation.”

Committee Members

The Joint Cybersecurity Committee consists of; Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako as CHAIRPERSON, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe as MEMBER, Mr. Richard Okyere-Fosu as MEMBER, Mr. Joe Anokye as MEMBER, MS. PATRICIA ADUSEI-POKU as MEMBER, Dr. Maxwell Opoku-Afari as MEMBER, Mr. Kwaku Dua as MEMBER, Nana Attobrah Quaicoe as MEMBER, COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah as MEMBER, ACP. Mr. Frederick Agyei as MEMBER, COL. (Dr) Tim Ba-Taa-Banah    as MEMBER, Mr. Kwabena Adu-Boahene as MEMBER, MAJ. Gen. A.Y. Nsiah as MEMBER,  Mr. Laud Akwasi Affrifah as MEMBER, AMB. George Abaka Blankson as MEMBER, COL. A.K. Oduah as MEMBER, Ms.  Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa as MEMBER, and MR. NANA KOFI ASAFU-AIDOO as MEMBER.

The Committee is expected to strengthen cooperation among member institutions, sectors, and the CSA in the development of cybersecurity in the Country; work with the CSA in the implementation of the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy; enhance awareness creation and build cybersecurity capacity in various sectors of Ghana’s socio-economic development and enhance information sharing to aid in incident response and reporting.

The JCC is established pursuant to section 13 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) to collaborate with the Cyber Security Authority and the sectors represented on the Committee for the implementation of relevant cybersecurity measures.