Accra, April 14, GNA – Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Director-General, Cyber Security Authority (CSA), has called on academic and research centres to collaborate and support the Authority in providing research on cybersecurity trends and proffering innovations to tackle the threats.
He said the country’s growing digitisation efforts required a strengthened partnership between stakeholders to mitigate cyber threats.
Dr Antwi-Boasiako said this at the University of Ghana (UG) College of Basic and Applied Sciences lecture series.
He presented on, “Cybersecurity Imperatives for National Development and the Role of the Academic Community.”
The presentation highlighted the role of the academia and research institutions in securing Ghana’s cyber future.
The Director-General said cybersecurity development was a collective activity where everyone had a role to play in protecting the space.
He said the Government would need the support of all stakeholders, especially academia in developing science-based research and solutions to be included in policies and programmes formulation.
Dr Antwi-Boasiako said a broader partnership between the CSA and academic and research centres would open up skills development and career opportunities for students to explore in the space.
He added that the Authority would consider allocating a portion of its proposed Cybersecurity Fund for academic research and innovations.
He said the country was doing well in protecting its cyber space, saying, with adequate support from stakeholders more could be done.
“Ghana has implemented a number of interventions which have raised the country’s cybersecurity readiness from 32 per cent to 86 per cent, rating the country third in Africa, and 43rd globally,” he indicated.
Professor Boateng Onwona-Agyeman, Provost, UG College of Basic and Applied Sciences, said it was the duty of academia to support the CSA to protect the larger society from cyber threats.
He said cyber threats were on the rise globally, hence the need for all stakeholders, including the public to support the Authority in its mandate.
The Cyber Security Authority was established by the Cybersecurity Act, 2020, Act 1038, to regulate cybersecurity activities in Ghana.
GNA