The Deputy Minister for Communications, George Andah has given indications that a law for the extensive prosecution of cybercrime in Ghana is in the offing.
He said the draft bill has already been submitted to Cabinet for consideration.
Speaking at the the cyber security roundtable forum in Accra, today [October 12, 2020], Mr. Andah said the draft bill, which was put together by the Communications Ministry and the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) will also help to regulate the cyber security space in Ghana.
“In addressing some of these cybercrime/cybersecurity issues which have become more prominent in recent times, the Ministry of Communications, through the National Cyber Security Centre, has presented a Cybersecurity Bill to Cabinet for consideration and enactment by Parliament. When passed into law, the Cybersecurity Bill will cater extensively for the prosecution of cybercrime and will also ensure robust regulation of the cybersecurity ecosystem of the nation,” he said.
The bill, expected to be approved and passed by parliament before the end of the year will ensure the safety of the country’s cyber space, Mr. Andah explained.
The Deputy Minister noted that with the increasing use of digital platforms in the country and more businesses using online means for transactions, the threats of cyber crimes remains high and the government is putting in place several measures to ensure that the digital space is sanitized.
“Since March, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has recorded a significant increase in the number of Cybercrime/Cybersecurity incidents reported by the Public and institutions via its Cybercrime/Cybersecurity Incident Reporting Points of Contact (PoC). Prominent among the incidents reported are phishing, malware, and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, among others,” he explained.
Adding that, many government officials have also been targets for impersonation and identity theft online.
“Many high-ranking Government officials have also been the target for impersonation and identity theft cases. This means that Government in collaboration with key stakeholders, need to strengthen existing protocols to ensure intensified resilience of various ICT systems used by the public and institutions of the various sectors of the economy,” he said.
The month-long observation will be characterized by virtual and physical meetings including sensitization workshops in various regions.
The event is meant to educate children, the public, businesses and government stakeholders on cyber hygiene best practices, consistent with the Safer Digital Ghana campaign.
