CSA Promotes Digital Safety As 23m Ghanaians Use Internet

Available statistics indicate that Ghana’s internet penetration rate stands at 23.05 million in 2023, representing 68.2% of the total population.

Out of this, 6.6 million (19.5%) are active social media users, contributing to the country’s 13^th rank on the list of countries that spend considerable time on the internet.

The Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako who disclosed the statistics, indicated that more than 62% (4.95 billion) of the world’s population have access to the internet.

Speaking at the media launch of the 2023 National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) at the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday on the theme: ‘Promoting a Culture of Digital Safety’, Dr. Antwi-Boasiako explained that in Ghana, internet penetration has increased exponentially from 2.31 million in 2012 to 17 million users in 2022 and up to 23.05 million in 2023, presenting the 68.2% of the population.

NCSAM is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about cybersecurity and promoting best practices for online safety.

According to Dr. Antwi-Boasiako, the Groupe Special Mobile Association (GSMA) Mobile Connectivity Index (MCI) 2023 report, Ghana is ranked 4th in Africa with a score of 51.4% depicting significant progress in connectivity over the past five years.

“In the same report, Ghana had a score of 86.69% in Online Security (a key dimension of the index) consistent with the country’s score on the ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI),” Dr. Antwi-Boasiako added.

Ghana’s successes

Dr. Antwi-Boasiako indicated that Ghana’s effort at ensuring a culture of digital safety is borne out of the country’s cyberculture and societal dimension derived from the cybersecurity Capacity Maturity Model (CMM) assessment commissioned by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation in January 2018.

“This assessment was conducted by the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre (GCSCC) of the University of Oxford in collaboration with the World Bank. Key among the critical issues captured by the assessment included the lack of cybersecurity consciousness and awareness among the Ghanaian public.

“Also captured were inadequate security measures for government e-services with knowledge gaps in fundamental cybersecurity concepts.

“Following these shortfalls, the CSA is seeking to leverage the NCSAM 2023 to address the concerns raised in the assessment hence the theme, ‘Promoting a Culture of Digital Safety’,” he explained.

According to Dr. Antwi-Boasiako, the theme this year highlights the importance of cultivating a collective mindset and behaviour that values and promotes responsible online practices, cybersecurity awareness, and the protection of personal information.

“We expect the media launch to set in motion a month-long national cybersecurity awareness creation that will assemble public and private sector players, cybersecurity professionals, the academia, and representatives from civil society organisations, in preparation for the NCSAM as we seek to encourage every Ghanaian to stay digitally alert,” he stated.

Dr. Antwi-Boasiako said the CSA, as a regulatory institution, and as part of measures to introduce sanity into the cybersecurity sector has commenced the process of licensing Cybersecurity Service Providers (CSPs) and accrediting Cybersecurity Establishments (CEs) and Cybersecurity Professionals (CPs).

“The exercise commenced in March 2023, with a September 30, 2023, deadline. This is to ensure that only licensed and accredited entities are lawfully empowered to engage in business.

“The Public Procurement Authority is collaborating with us to enforce the guidelines on the ongoing regulation pursuant to Sections 57 and 58 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038).

“This collaboration will harmonise the processes of public procurement in the public service to secure a judicious, economic, and efficient use of state resources and provide a streamlined mechanism for guaranteeing that cybersecurity service providers, establishments and professionals in the country execute their duties in accordance with approved international standards,” CSA Director-General stressed.

Background

Global digitalisation trends have changed the way businesses are now conducted, created opportunities, and provided enabling environments for economic growth.

Ghana is one of 22 countries globally to annually celebrate National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM).

The United States of America is the first country to commemorate NCSAM in October 2004 and this has caught up with the rest of the world.

Many countries around the world have adopted similar initiatives to observe Cybersecurity Awareness Month or run their own cybersecurity awareness campaigns including Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, India, Germany, France, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Ghana

It is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about cybersecurity and promoting best practices for online safety.