National Cybersecurity Policy, Strategy launched

Ghana’s Na­tional Cyber­security Policy and Strategy (NCPS) aimed at addressing the increasing cybersecurity threats arising from the nation’s rapid digital transformation has been launched in Accra.

The revised policy represents a strategic response to both existing and anticipated cyber threats that could undermine Ghana’s gains in digitalisation and provides clear focus and direction to guide the develop­ment of Ghana’s cybersecurity over the next five years.

The policy is hinged across five critical pillars namely Legal Measures, Technical Measures, Organisational Measures, Capac­ity Building, and Cooperation.

Unveiling the policy at the 2024 National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) in Accra last Friday, the Minister of Communications and Digitalisa­tion, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, described the policy as a land­mark achievement critical to Ghana’s Cybersecurity develop­ment.

Addressing the invited digni­taries, the minister underscored the fact that cyber threats were global in nature and their mani­festations localised with Ghana not immune to such threats.

She added that the existential dangers posed by cyber-attacks had led to the recognition of the need for a national strategy to prevent potential attacks when­ever possible, and to prepare for

eventual incidents should they occur.

“Our world today has changed, with digitalisation presenting both opportunities and risks to individuals, business­es, societies, and nations. The growing dependency on networks and digital systems for socio-eco­nomic development has attracted the attention of malicious actors, who seek to undermine the con­fidentiality, integrity, and avail­ability of these infrastructures,” Mrs Ursula Owusu-stated.

On that score, the minister averred that the adoption of the NCPS itself represented a stra­tegic response to both existing and anticipated cyber threats that could undermine Ghana’s gains in digitalisation.

She indicated that the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), as the national agency responsible for cybersecurity matters in the country, acknowledges its lead role in implementing the NCPS but added that the multi-dimen­sional nature of cybersecurity re­quired a multi-sectoral response.

She added that the collective responsibility needed to imple­ment the national strategy was enshrined in the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038). She cited the role of public sector institu­tions through the Joint Cyberse­curity Committee (JCC) and the creation of the Industry Forum, serving as essential vehicles for the collaboration of all stake­holders.

“Our goal of preventing cy­ber-attacks against Ghana’s digital infrastructure is shared; we each have differentiated responsibili­ties reflective of our mandates as public sector agencies and private sector actors,” the minister em­phasised.

The Director-General of the CSA, Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, whose office superintend over the successful review of the NCPS, intimated that govern­ment served as an enabler for cy­bersecurity development, adding that the policy represented a vital intervention to guide the actions and thinking of all stakehold­ers as they worked to minimise risks and secure the benefits of a trusted digital environment for businesses, children and the state.

“As the CSA looks forward to collaborating with implementing partners, the vision remains clear: to achieve a secure and resilient digital ecosystem for the benefit of everyone,” he added.

It is consistent with the International Telecommunication Union’s Global Cybersecurity Agenda guideline for cybersecu­rity development which aimed at enhancing confidence, trust, and security in the ICT architec­ture of ITU member countries, including Ghana.

 BY TIMES REPORTER