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This year’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) has been launched in Accra with a call to action for Ghanaians to unite against the pervasive threat of misinformation and disinformation.

The event, held at the Ministry of Information Press Centre on Sunday, September 1, 2024, was graced by the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful; the Information Minister, Hon. Fatimatu Abubakar, and the Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako.

NCSAM 2024 would be marked on the theme “Combating Misinformation/Disinformation in a Digitally Resilient Democracy: Our Collective Responsibility.”

Speaking at the launch, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful highlighted Ghana’s progress in digital connectivity, noting that the country ranked third in Africa with over twenty-four million internet users and 7.60 million active social media users adding that despite the advancements, rapid digitalisation brought significant risks, including the malicious spread of false information.

"The launch of this year’s National Cyber Security Awareness Month comes at a crucial moment. As we navigate the digital age, we must remain vigilant against the dangers posed by misinformation and disinformation, which threaten the very fabric of our democracy," she added.

Expanding on these concerns, Dr. Antwi-Boasiako emphasised the critical role digital technologies played in modern democracies while acknowledging the vulnerabilities they created, he emphasised that ass Ghana approaches its presidential and parliamentary elections in December, the risks posed by misinformation and disinformation are more pressing than ever. “Our mission this month going forward is to forge a collective defence against these threats and safeguard the integrity of our democratic processes”, he said.

Both leaders stressed the importance of a coordinated effort to combat these digital threats, with the CSA boss stating that his outfit would engage with digital platform owners and collaborate with civil society organisations and media to develop and implement strategies for countering misinformation.

The minister and Dr. Antwi-Boasiako urged the public to educate themselves on recognising and reporting false information to protect the nation’s information ecosystem.

The launch was also marked by solidarity messages from various stakeholders: Brigadier General (Dr) Tim Ba-Taa-Banah, Director, National Counter Terrorism Fusion Centre, and a member of the Joint Cybersecurity Committee (JCC) the Director of Policy Engagement and Partnerships at the Centre for Democratic Governance (CDD Ghana), Dr. Kojo P. Asante; the General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr. Edmund Kofi Yeboah; the Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance, Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey; and a member of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Sheikh Aremyaw Shaibu.