Ghana’s institution responsible for regulating cybersecurity activities and threats, Cyber Security Authority under the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, has disclosed plans to establish and implement mandatory cybersecurity regulations beginning January 2023.
According to the Acting Director General of the Cyber Security Authority, Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako the motivation behind the policy is a result of the proliferation of cyber-attacks targeting individuals, businesses and critical infrastructures across the country.
Speaking at the launch of the 2022 National Cyber Security Month dubbed “Regulating Cybersecurity: A Public-Private Sector Collaborative Approach”, Dr. Antwi-Boasiako reiterated that “Globally, regulatory compliance has become one of the most effective and reliable strategies to mitigate cyber risks within the industry.”
“The Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) provides the regulatory framework to promote cybersecurity development in the country. The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has commenced a number of regulatory activities including the protection of Critical Information Infrastructures, pursuant to Section 35 to 40 of Act 1038; licensing of Cybersecurity Service Providers pursuant to Sections of 49 to 56 and regulations on cybersecurity incident reporting and response, pursuant to Sections 41 to 48 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2022,” he added.
The CSA Boss cautioned that businesses, a firm or individuals will not be able to offer cybersecurity services “unless the entity or the individual is licensed or accredited by the Authority under the policy starting January 2023.”
He further urged Ghanaians to be cybersecurity conscious amid recent global cyber incidents that have negatively affected individuals, businesses, and other critical information infrastructure
By: Jude Tackie