LaDMA RESIDENTS SENSITISED ON CYBERSECURITY PROTOCOLS

Residents of La Dade-Kotopon Municipality (LaDMA) in the Greater Accra Region recently converged at the Church of Pentecost branch of the Trade Fair Assembly for a town hall meeting during which they were taken through a cybersecurity sensitisation.

Staff at the Capacity Building and Awareness Creation (CBAC) unit of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) walked the residents through the various forms of cyberattacks and how to navigate the internet to stay safe against the antics of cybercriminals.

Setting the tone for the presentation, Madam Ama Bawa, a staff member at CBAC, gave the evolution of technology to buttress how the internet had become more sophisticated in the present day unlike it was in the past.

She shared with the gathering the level of Ghana’s internet penetration, with the country ranked eighth globally among fifty countries surveyed whose citizens spend considerable amount of time on social media.

Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion were the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Rev. Solomon Kotei; the Member of Parliament for the area, Ms. Rita Naa Odoley Sowah; the Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Daniel Nkrumah; and other assembly and unit committee members.

The town hall meeting had the theme, “Accounting to the People: Our Responsibility in Ensuring a Flood-Free Municipality.” It was purposed to update the residents about development projects within the municipality.

Underscoring the need for the public to be guarded against the shenanigans of cybercriminals, Madam Bawa cautioned against disclosing of sensitive information online, coupled with other actions that could undermine the security of personal data.

She shared the cybercrime incident reporting points of contacts of the CSA, urging them to endeavour to reach out to the Authority should they need assistance.

Also engaging the gathering was Mr. Eric Kafui Bansah, a staff member of CBAC, who took them through the diverse types of cybersecurity threats and how to detect and avoid falling victim to cyber fraud.

An open forum session provided an opportunity for participants to ask questions and make suggestions on matters agitating their minds including cyber hygiene and other related issues.

The CSA, as part of its awareness creation mandate, has set out to intensify its sensitisation activities across the country in line with its vision to secure Ghana’s digital ecosystem.