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The Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, has urged construction firms in the country to take steps to develop cybersecurity consciousness in the industry to guard against cyber-attacks.

He added that construction organisations were unprepared when faced with a cyberattack, and that the construction industry had been one of the most targeted in recent years, therefore industry players were responsible for protecting their computer systems.

Dr. Antwi-Boasiako made the call in a speech delivered on his behalf by the acting Director of Capacity Building and Awareness Creation at the CSA, Mr. Alexander Oppong, at the inauguration of a nationwide capacity building training programme for members of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI) at Dodowa in the Dangme West District in the Greater Accra Region.

He referenced worrying statistics by Relia Quest, a cybersecurity portal, which, in its recently released annual Cyber Threat Report, indicated that cybercriminals targeted the construction industry the most with an average of 226 incidents each year, followed by the transportation sector with 167, wholesale commerce with 138, and manufacturing with 116.

Antwi-Boasiako was however pleased about the capacity-building training for the GhCCI members in the fields of e-procurement, cybersecurity, e-commerce, and ICT, as he commended the leadership of the chamber for taking the bold step of training its members in these areas to ensure they did not fall behind.

“I am delighted for the invitation to join you today, built environment professionals, as you train people in your constituency in crucial areas for the sustainability of your industry,” he added.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Mr. Kwame Prempeh, indicated that the PPA and the CSA were collaborating to ensure that only licenced cybersecurity establishments and professionals could engage in business.

He added that PPA was actively engaging with the World Bank to enforce a mandate whereby procurement funded projects adhered to PPA regulations.

"This strategic move not only fosters transparency in government operations but also ensures that procurement processes are optimised, especially for contractors operating across diverse geographical locations," Mr. Prempeh said.

He added that adherence to the Government of Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS) was an electronic procurement system introduced to ensure ethical procurement practices in Ghana.