Business News of Monday, 19 March 2007

Source: GNA

Ministry to regulate on-line businesses

Accra, March 19, GNA - The Ministry of Communications is to introduce an Electronic Transaction Law to regulate the activities of Internet users, especially businessmen and women.

The Law would regulate electronic signatures, use of credit card and Internet communications and also fight Internet or cyber fraud. Mr Issah Yahaya, Head of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, at the Ministry told the GNA on Monday that sections of the law would regulate electronic message; signature; certificates; automated transactions; dispatch of records and attribution of records from the sender to the receiver.

Others are variation of agreement between parties; equal treatment of electronic signatures and secure electronic record.

Mr Yahaya noted that the law would also help the Government to also manage its e-government services by improving acceptance of electronic files, issuance of documents and records.

It would also deal with cyber fraud and other unscrupulous activities such as stealing; dishonestly receiving; forgery; conspiracy; charlatanic advertisement and access to protected computers. Computer Misuse Act would effectively tackle child pornography; use of illegal devices and authorized disclosure of access code, he said, adding that cyber inspectors would also be strengthened under the law to effectively monitor and control users.

Mr Yahaya said the Ministry was working together with the Ghana Internet Providers Association to also control the situation and called on individuals, especially Internet operators, to report suspicious characters to the Police.