“Ghana’s digitalisation efforts cannot be sustained without cybersecurity. Cyber-attacks could undermine our gains in digitalisation. It could undermine our social and economic well-being and consequently, our national security.”
This was made known by the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Hon. Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, at the inauguration of the Governing Board of the Cyber Security Authority, in Accra on 18th February 2022.
Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful, who is chairperson of the Board, in her remarks after swearing in ceremony, indicated that, progress made in the last five years in cybersecurity development has been remarkable and has placed Ghana 3rd on the African continent, and 43rd globally in the latest Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Highlighting interventions that included the ratification of the Budapest and Malabo Conventions, the launch of the Safer Digital Ghana Campaign, the passage of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020, the revision of the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy, and the development of the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) ecosystem, she encouraged her colleague Board members to focus on implementation.
She added that securing sustainable funding is crucial to the implementation of the Cybersecurity Act 1038 and hence the Board has an immediate and a critical mandate to operationalise Section 29 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020.
The Chairperson further charged the Ag. Director-General and the management of the CSA to focus on the implementation of the relevant regulatory measures including the protection of Ghana’s Critical Information Infrastructure, which they have already started, and work closely with the Joint Cybersecurity Committee (JCC), which will soon be inaugurated, and other non-governmental actors in Ghana’s cybersecurity development prsuant to section 5 of the Cyber Security Act 2020 (Act 1038).
The governing body of the Cyber Security Authority is appointed by the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo.
The Board consists of
(a) The Ministers responsible for (i) Communications; (ii) the Interior; (iii) National Security; and (iv) Defence
(b) The Director-General of the Authority
(c) Three persons from the Industry Forum nominated by the Industry Forum; and
(d) Three other persons nominated by the President on the advice of the Minister, at least two of whom are women.
Functions of the Boarb:
(a) Oversight responsibility for the Authority;
(b) Be responsible for the strategic direction and policies of the Authority;
(c) Manage and disburse the Cybersecurity Fund in accordance with section 30 of the Act; and
(d) Ensure the efficient and effective performance of the functions of the Authority.
Members of the Board
Hon. Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Chairperson,
Hon. Albert Kan-Dapaah
Hon. Ambrose Dery
Hon. Dominic Nitiwul
Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako
Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman
Mr Carl A. Sackey
Mad. Adelaide Benneh-Prempeh
Mad. Esther Dzifa Ofori
Mrs Mavis Vijaya Afakor Amoa
Mr Reginald Botchwey
Source: MyPublisher24.com