Ghana has made progress in cyber security protection - Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako

The Director General of the Cyber Security Authority of Ghana, Dr. Albert Antwi Boasiako, has affirmed that Ghana has advanced in cyberspace protection, which ensures protection for sensitive data from being exposed to swindlers.

Dr. Boasiako, speaking at a three-day Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) hosted at the Alisa Hotel in Accra from April 23 to April 25, 2024, said data protection and security are measured by the rate of the Ghanaian population accessing the internet frequently.

The Forum, an important platform where conversations on digital policy in Africa are shaped, policy directions debated, and partnerships forged for action, was held under the theme "Fostering Rights and Inclusion in the Digital Age."

According to him, the current statistics of Ghana's population accessing the internet range from seventeen percent to eighteen percent, adding that these individuals are safe with their information on the internet.

“In 2007, Ghana was rated 32%, and as of the end of 2020, Ghana moved 86% forward. I think that jump is a reflection of the collective work we have done in the sector,” he mentioned.

Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako has therefore acknowledged the collective responsibility of the stakeholders to ensure data protection for Ghanaians in the digital space, which is experiencing a significant increase.

“Being led by the government, all other political parties, and stakeholders, we are achieving a result in the work. Parliament has been bipartisan in support of this area, and the sector minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has been pushing for bipartisan and collective ownership so far as cyber security development is concerned,” he stated.

Discussing the role of telecommunication network communications in Ghana in ensuring the information security of their customers, he asserted that telecommunication network companies are abiding by the information confidentiality ethics and policy of their industries' operations on information.

“The telecommunication networks have the obligation to ensure the information and data of the citizens are protected. For law enforcement purposes, there ought to be a court order and legal process to access the information. The Cyber Security Act and other legislation and enactments have provided a clearer frame with which data is accessed,” he explained.

Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako noted: “The program is an important conversation, and we look forward to developing and improving cyber security measures based on the necessary input concerns coming from the civil society sectors.”

He also explained that it is the right of every citizen in Africa and the world at large to have their data protected, and that is the focus of the forum to ensure the protection of individual information.

“This is the first time Ghana is hosting this event, bringing representatives from more than 61 countries. Within the first four months, we hosted two international events: the West African Event on Computer Emergency Response and the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum. This demonstrates how committed we are in this area, but also our interest in the concern about how the data of citizens is being used,” Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako added.

The 11th edition of DRIF invited representatives from government, legislature, civil society, non-governmental organisations, academia, policymakers, the technical community, and the private sector within the digital ecosystem, as well as delegates from 61 countries.