Accra, June 2, GNA – The increasing rate of cyber-attacks on countries and critical infrastructure worldwide has made the mandate of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) pivotal in safeguarding the security of the various sectors of the national economy, Mr Joseph Cudjoe, the Minister of Public Enterprises, said on Thursday.
He, therefore, entreated the CSA to carry out its mandate effectively towards the digitalisation of the various sectors of the economy and protect the country from the risks associated with a digitalised economy.
Mr Cudjoe said this when he paid a working visit to the CSA in Accra, to interact with the management and staff and familiarise himself with their operations.
The visit formed part of the Minister’s working tour to 175 State-Owned Enterprises across the country.
He was accompanied by Mr Sam Aning, the Policy Advisor of the Ministry, Mr Richard Bosompem Ababio and Nanna Akua Sarpoma Nimako Boateng, both Assistant Directors at the Ministry, among other members of staff.
On the ongoing regulatory exercise of the Authority, the Minister pledged to work through the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) to ensure that after the September 30 deadline, only licensed and accredited cybersecurity service providers and professionals would be allowed to work for public sector institutions.
“The country has a collective responsibility to ensure that critical information infrastructures are protected from cyberattacks,” he said.
Mr Cudjoe expressed happiness about the level of collaboration between the Authority and other African countries such as Rwanda and Mozambique, following the signing of a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) to promote safe cyber environment, which had placed Ghana on the continental radar.
This is within the context of the larger African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) objective of promoting the development of the cybersecurity industry by bringing the countries on the African countries on a common platform.
As part of its strategic planning efforts, the Minister charged all government institutions and the private sector to develop cybersecurity policies based on the directive of the Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure Directive launched by the Government in 2021, in conformity with Section 35 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038).
Recognising the CSA’s role as a revenue protection agency as opposed to a revenue-generating one, Mr Cudjoe pledged government’s commitment to ensuring that the Authority was well-resourced to protect the interests of the state, given the critical nature of its mandate.
“Enhancing systems and building capacity of CSA staff must be a continuous process as the modus operandi of cybercriminals was constantly evolving,” he said.
He applauded the role the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, under Ursula Owusu-Ekuful’s visionary leadership, which had enabled the CSA to make giant strides in safeguarding Ghana’s cyberspace.
Mr Cudjoe expressed the need to operationalise the Cybersecurity Fund, as outlined in Section 29 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), to surmount any form of impediments to achieving the Authority’s mandate.
Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, the Director-General, CSA, said the mandate of the Authority was to be a revenue-protecting institution and its success should be measured by the numerous interventions to foil potential attacks on state institutions and its people.
The Cybersecurity/Cybercrime Incident Reporting Points of Contact (POC), which was launched in 2018, had become a major means of preventing many Ghanaians and businesses from falling victims to cybercrime.
Dr Antwi-Boasiako noted that any attempt to compare the achievements of the CSA in monetary terms would be a deviation from its mandate.
As a specialised and evolving industry, the State stood to gain a lot if it was able to motivate and retain committed and dedicated staff of the CSA, he said.
GNA