President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been awarded for his commitment to improving cybersecurity for the safety of Ghana’s digital environment.
“Under his leadership, Ghana has made substantial progress in establishing frameworks and initiatives aimed at strengthening cybersecurity measures,” a citation presented to the President at the 2024 Cybersecurity Awards, on Friday night, in Accra, read.
The country’s cybersecurity journey has evolved tremendously since 2017.
It has improved its rating from 36.2 per cent that year to a current 99.27 per cent on the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI).
This makes Ghana the second-highest ranked nation in Africa, and one out of five countries to achieve Tier One status, a development that puts the country in the role model rank, and is among 46 countries worldwide in this category.
In 2020, the country ranked 43rd globally and third in the African Region on the ITUʼs GCI, with a score of 86.69 per cent.
The Cyber Security Authority, organisers of the awards’ ceremony, acknowledged the President for his commitment, stating that this had been vital for national development and protecting citizens from cyber threats.
This year’s event also honoured Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, for her significant role in this feat and Ghana’s digital transformation.
She received the Exemplary Leader Award, having successfully operationalised the government’s infrastructural programme for the ICT sector, promoting digitalisation and e-government services.
“Under her leadership, Ghana has been ranked Tier One in the latest ITU Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), demonstrating her commitment to cybersecurity,” a citation presented to the Minister noted.
The Director General of the Cyber Security Authority, Governing Board Members, the Cyber Security Service Committee, some staff and key international and local stakeholders, among others, were also celebrated at the event.
The media organisations honoured at the event were the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Graphic Communications Group, Despite Media Group, GhanaWeb, Asaase Broadcasting Company, and Business and Financial Times.
The awardees received plaques, certificates, and medals for their varied roles in promoting a safer online environment, providing digital leadership in cybersecurity development, and contributing to Ghana’s success in emerging among the list of Tier One countries in the 2024 ITU Global Cybersecurity Index.
Since the establishment of the Cyber Security Authority, under Section Two of the Act in October 2021, several regulatory activities have been initiated.
These include the protection of Critical Information Infrastructure as outlined in Sections 35 to 40 of Act 1038, licensing of Cybersecurity Service Providers per Sections 49 to 56, and regulations on Cybersecurity Incident Reporting and Sectoral Computer Emergency Response as per Sections 41 to 48 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020.
The Authority is mandated to safeguard children online as prescribed by the Cybersecurity Act 2020, and has also revised the Child Online Protection Framework to guide all stakeholders in ensuring the safety of children on the internet.
A key milestone in the country’s cybersecurity strides has been the National Cyber Security Awareness Programme, which launched comprehensive capacity-building and awareness initiatives across four focal areas: Children, the Public, Businesses, and Government, with the National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) as its flagship initiative.
President Nana Akufo-Addo, in an address, said cybersecurity was critical to achieving a safe digital landscape, as well as national development goals.
“With initiatives such as the Cyber Security Authority and the National Computer Emergency Response Team, we are positioned to respond to cyber threats swiftly.
“These institutions are crucial for securing critical sectors such as banking, energy, and health, contributing to the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals Eight, Nine, and 11, by safeguarding our infrastructure, promoting innovation, and fostering safe, inclusive, and resilient communities.
“Thanks to invaluable partnerships with international organisations such as the Council of Europe, the African Union (AU), UNICEF, and the World Bank, Ghana has fortified her cybercrime and data protection laws,” the President stated.
Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful expressed gratitude to the stakeholders for their invaluable support towards the growth of the organisation.
She said Ghana and Singapore were the only countries that were licensing cybersecurity professionals and giving accreditation to service providers to ensure best practice and sanitise the professional ecosystem.
Dr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, attributed the success of the Authority in securing Ghana’s Cyber security space to the bi-partisan support it had enjoyed from stakeholders, especially in the seventh and eight Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
“This collective commitment is what underpins Ghana’s cybersecurity achievements, and we should work to sustain this.”
The night also saw the launch of a book chronicling Ghana’s journey thus far in cybersecurity development and accomplishments.
Dr Antwi-Boasiako authored the book to serve as model to other countries and to provide best practice to guide professionals.
The ceremony was to recognise key individuals and institutions that had played significant roles in laying the foundational framework for cybersecurity development in Ghana. It was also to highlight the contributions of partners who had collaborated with the CSA to advance its mission, through public-private partnerships, academic collaborations, and other forms of strategic alliances that had been instrumental in its growth.
