By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Nov. 03, GNA – Dr Raju Sonavane, the Rector of SIIMT University College, has called for stronger collaboration among academia, industry and regulators to build a safer digital society and protect Ghana’s financial ecosystem.
Dr Sonavane said technology has become integral to daily activities, including banking, education, communication, business operations and the exchange of information.
He made the call at the 2026 Cybersecurity Global Information Conference (CGIC) in Accra.
The Conference is an awareness initiative introduced by the university, which brought together cybersecurity professionals, government and industry representatives, international delegates and students.
The Conference was on the theme: “Securing Ghana’s Digital Economy Leadership; Trust and Cyber Resilience.”
Dr Sonavane said the growing reliance on digital platforms had also increased exposure to online fraud, phishing, identity theft, financial scams, data breaches and cyber burglary.
He said a single cybersecurity incident could expose personal information or disrupt the operations of an entire organisation.
Dr Sonavane said cybersecurity was no longer solely an information technology issue, but a responsibility shared by students, teachers, business owners, public officials, parents and smartphone users.
He said SIIMT University College believed education should extend beyond the classroom to help people understand and respond to real-world challenges.
Dr Jamaldeen Tonzua Seidu, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Regulatory Operations at the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), said the collaboration between academia and regulators was important for awareness creation, capacity building and national cybersecurity.
He said academic institutions could help address human vulnerabilities by training students and communities in good cyber hygiene practices.
Dr Seidu said the education sector was among the 13 designated critical information infrastructure sectors in Ghana, making its cybersecurity an issue of national security and socioeconomic wellbeing.
He said institutions within the sector were required to meet baseline security requirements, conduct audits and establish incident-reporting mechanisms under the CSA’s regulatory framework.
He said Ghana also needed to develop more skilled cybersecurity professionals to address a deficit in the workforce.
The CSA was working with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission to regulate cybersecurity professional training and integrate basic cybersecurity and cyber hygiene into tertiary education curricula, he said.
Dr Seidu said the conference’s crisis simulation exercise would help participants move beyond theoretical discussions and practice responding to cyber incidents.
He said institutions should prepare for cyberattacks, engage licensed and accredited cybersecurity professionals, and elevate cybersecurity to the level of corporate governance through dedicated officers, policies and governance systems.
He cautioned institutions against relying only on antivirus software and firewalls, saying a broader and sustained approach was needed to strengthen resilience against malicious cyber activity.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Morkporkpor Anku
Email: [email protected]