Senior Managers with Information and Communication Technology staffs of Ministries and Security Agencies have been schooled on the new security incidence response system to mitigate cyber security risks from internal and external sources.

The strategy, called the National Information Technology Agency Computer Emergency Response Team (NITACERT), has been introduced to be a coordinating center for cyber security attacks.

Dr. Nii Quaynor, Chairman of NITA, speaking at an Awareness Creation forum in Accra said as part of the strategy, a similar capacity building event would be started in July for staff of municipal, metropolitan and district assemblies (MMDA).

He said NITA would set up NITACERTs in all MMDAs to coordinate all incidents and share intelligence on new threats and publish incidence reports on its websites monthly.

He explained that although cyber security possibly could not absolutely be eliminated, risks of attack could be mitigated to an acceptable level.

“If the constituents of the networks on which they receive service are aware of the possible attacks and there are structures for reporting of incidences on the network, it would help greatly,” he said.

Dr. Quaynor announced that NITA had rolled out a very extensive network with fiber optics and data centers to ensure that MMDAs had Information Technology services to improve efficiency and engage the citizenry through eServices.

The next phase of the network would see further upgrades and expansion, he assured.

As part of NITA’s mandate to help government engage with citizens in governance and accountability, NITA has started the Ghana Open Data Initiative (GODI).

This initiative focuses on making government data/information available in a numeric format so that civil society and the developer community can create graphical applications to engage citizens in governance through critique and feedback to enhance efficiency and policy planning.

Mr. William Tevie, Director General of NITA, said his outfit was determined to expand the network to the design capacity of 1,550 sites and cover all of the current 170 districts and to make the Government’s network fast.

He said as part of network improvement, a second data center in Kumasi and a back data center in Takoradi would be set up.

Mr. Tevie said an e-Health programme would soon be deployed on pilot basis in three teaching hospitals and a correspondence management system also deployed at all MDAs.

NITA has put in place very stringent security measures at the network operation center, because as a network expands, its security becomes critical.

Marcus K. G. Adomey, an Official of the University of Ghana, said cyber space crime had been modernized and was becoming and more sophisticated.

He called on the public to help fight cybercrime.**