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The Director General of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, has stated that a proposed curriculum to include cybersecurity in Ghana’s education system is currently being evaluated by Cabinet.

He further noted that introducing cybersecurity as a part of the educational curriculum would give meaning to the country’s drive for cybersecurity awareness among all segments of the population.

When approved, Ghana would join countries like the United States, Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Ireland which offer cybersecurity courses at all levels of education.

Dr. Antwi-Boasiako, who was speaking at the Media Launch of the 2023 edition of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) in Accra at the Ministry of Information Conference Room, urged corporate organisations to endeavour to annually hold cybersecurity awareness events in the month of October.

The Government is just an enabler, but the responsibility lies with individuals to take personal responsibility for their protection,” Dr Antwi-Boasiako.

Ghana joined countries in other parts of the world in 2017 to commemorate October as the cybersecurity awareness month every year to further an awareness campaign for people to take caution online following the rising spate of cyberattacks in the world and promote best practices for online safety.

According to the Director-General, this year’s NCSAM, on the theme “Promoting a Culture of Digital Safety” seeks to highlight the importance of cultivating a collective mindset and behaviour that values and promotes responsible online practices such as the protection of personal data.

“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,” Dr. Antwi-Boasiako added.

On the expectations of NCSAM 2023, the Director-General underscored the need for public engagement for further awareness creation on cybersecurity and the risks, as well as the implementation of regulations to ensure the security of the cyberspace.

“I urge all stakeholders to participate fully in these events for an effective outcome. I call on the private sector, churches, schools, civil society organisations, the media and the public to use the period to educate their members on cybersecurity, he added.

Ama Pomaa Boateng, representing the sector Minister, Hon. Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, indicated that the rapid advancement of digital technologies has brought numerous opportunities and threats.

“Ghana is no exception to these risks; particularly as the country scales up connectivity and encourages e-Commerce activities as part of the government’s digitalisation agenda,” she said.

She described the media launch as a key component of the NCSAM, designed to address the worrying concerns within the cybersecurity space by way of promoting cybersecurity awareness in collaboration with the government and the private sector.

In a fraternal message from stakeholders, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mr. Albert Dwumfour, lent the support of the association to NCSAM, noting that the theme reflected the increasing rate of cyber-attacks across the African continent.

“We all acknowledge that digitalisation is propelling the world's rapid development, but the benefits would not be realised if lives, businesses, and investments are not protected by corresponding data or digital protection measures, he averred.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, also noted that cybersecurity was an area that the public needed to take an interest in.

For his part, the President of the Ghana Association of Banks, Mr. John Awuah, established that the banks were committed to protecting the investments of customers through effective online banking systems.

A member of the CSA Governing Board, Mr. Carl Sackey, added that the theme for NCSAM 2023 was anchored on a collective public action to safeguard the country’s digital assets and the data of citizens.

In an address on his behalf, the President of ISACA, Accra Chapter, Mr Daniel Gyampo, said the interconnected world called for heightened cybersecurity preparedness.

Dr. Tim Ba-Taa-Banah, entreated government institutions and the private sector to permit their employees to actively participate in NCSAM 2023 as part of the awareness creation measure.

The event was moderated by Hon. Fatimatu Abubakar, the Deputy Minister of Information.