Digitalisation efforts can’t be sustained without cybersecurity – Ursula

Communications and Digitalisation Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has called for the development of robust cybersecurity infrastructure, warning that lack of it will brutally derail the country’s digitalisation efforts.

“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,” she said.

Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful, who was speaking at the inauguration of the Joint Cybersecurity Committee (JCC) on Thursday, July 14, 2022, added: “In order to achieve a secure and resilient digital economy, each one of us will have to play our part.”

The joint cybersecurity committee

Addressing members of the 18-member committee which was set up pursuant to section 13 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful said cybersecurity is multi-sectoral and demands a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the issues.

For her, collaboration among different stakeholders and public and private sector collaboration are absolutely critical in securing the country’s cyberspace as the government ramps up its digitalisation agenda.

She, therefore, urged the members of the committee to work with the Cybersecurity Authority and the private sector to build a robust infrastructure for the country.

“This is not the time for turf wars and working in silos and you need to coordinate your efforts, collaborate and cooperate to succeed. We are all in this together and the country demands this of you to ensure our collective cybersecurity,” she stated.

Membership of the committee

The members of the committee include; Justice Afia Serwa Asare-Botwe (Judiciary service), Richard Okyere-Fosu (National Information Technology Agency (NITA), Joe Anokye (National Communications Authority), Ms Patricia Adusei-Poku (Data Protection Commission), Dr Maxwell Opoku-Afari (Bank of Ghana (BOG)), Mr Kwaku Dua (Financial Intelligence Centre), Nana Attobrah Quaicoe (National Intelligence Bureau), and COP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah (Economic & Organised Crime Office).

The rest are DCOP Mr Frederick Agyei (Criminal Investigations Department), Col. (Dr) Tim Ba-Taa-Banah (National Security Council Secretariat), Mr Kwabena Adu-Boahene (National Signals Bureau), Maj. Gen. A.Y. Nsiah (Defence Intelligence), Mr Laud Akwasi Affrifah (Ghana Immigration Service (GIS)), Amb. George Abaka Blankson (Research Department), Col. A. K. Oduah (Ghana Armed Forces), Ms Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa (Office of the Attorney-General & Min. of Justice), Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako (Cyber Security Authority (CSA)) and Mr Nana Kofi Asafu-Aidoo (Ghana Domain Name Registry (GDNR)).

Speaking on behalf of her colleagues, Justice Afia Serwa Asare-Botwe, thanked the President, assuring that they will give their all to help the cybersecurity authority secure Ghana’s cyberspace.

Source: B&FT