The Ministry of Communications through the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), an agency with the mandate to coordinate Ghana’s cybersecurity development, will hold its annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) from October 1 to 31, 2020.

The month-long event will be conducted in a hybrid format comprising physical engagements under strict COVID-19 protocols and the use of virtual platforms and other social media channels

The theme for this year’s edition is “Cybersecurity in the era of COVID-19”, reflecting on the current trends on cybersecurity incidents as a result of the increasing use of digital platforms by individuals, businesses and governments for socio-economic activities in view of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

It will involve thought-leadership sessions, panel discussions, workshops and media engagements aimed at intensifying capacity building and awareness creation efforts on cybercrime and cybersecurity issues among Ghanaians.

Speaking on the event, Ursula Owusu- Ekuful, Minister of Communications said, “COVID-19 pandemic has changed our way of life and this event will focus on the how our Children, the Public, Businesses as well as Government institutions can ensure utmost protection of their online activities whilst utilising digital platforms”.

Recognised as the leading event within the cybersecurity space, NCSAM will educate children, the public, businesses and government stakeholders on cyber hygiene best practices, consistent with the Safer Digital Ghana campaign.

This year’s event will have weekly high-level activities including the official launch of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month and Child Online Protection Reporting Portal, a forum on impact of COVID-19 on Ghana’s digitalisation agenda, cybersecurity forum with industry players and the other activities covering the four pillars of the Safer Digital Ghana campaign—children, the public, businesses and government.

The event will also attract collaboration with Ghana’s cybersecurity partners, including the Council of Europe, UNICEF, Security Governance Initiative (SGI) of the US Government and the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) among others.

Speakers include Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications, members of the National Cybersecurity Inter-Ministerial Advisory Council (NCSIAC), Ambassador Stephanie S. Sullivan, United States Ambassador to Ghana, and Mrs. Anne-Claire Dufay, Country Representative of UNICEF Ghana,

Other speakers include George Nenyi Andah, Deputy Communications Minister; Alexander K.K Abban, Deputy Communications Minister; Dr. Albert Antwi- Boasiako, National Cybersecurity Advisor; members of the National Cybersecurity Technical Working Group and non-governmental stakeholders including Deloitte, ISACA, e-Crime Bureau, Innovare, Surfline, Margins Group, Zerofox, CalBank among others.