Ghana Cyber Security Authority gets governing board
An 11-member Governing Board was on Friday inaugurated with the mandate to ensure the effective performance of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA).
The Board is made up of Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalisation (Chairperson); Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister for National Security; Mr Ambrose Dery, Minister for the Interior; Mr Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of Defence; Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Acting Director-General of the CSA.
Others are Professor Boateng Onwona-Agyeman, Mr Carl A. Sackey, Madam Adelaide Benneh-Prempeh, Madam Esther Dzifa Ofori, Mrs Mavis Vijaya Afakor Amoa and Mr Reginald Botchwey.
Aside ensuring the efficient and effective performance of the functions of the Authority, the Board would also have oversight responsibility for the CSA, be responsible for the strategic direction and policies of the Authority and manage and disburse the Cybersecurity Fund in accordance with section 30 of the Act.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, Chairperson of the Board thanked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for appointing them to serve as Board Members of the Authority and congratulated the members on their appointment.
She said Ghana could not sustain her digitalisation efforts without cybersecurity because cyber-attacks could undermine the country’s gains in digitalisation, its social and economic well-being and national security.
Mrs Owusu-Ekuful lauded government and the 7th Parliament of the 4th Republic for the passage of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020.
She charged management of the CSA to focus on the implementation of the relevant regulatory measures, including protection of Ghana’s Critical Information Infrastructure.
The Minister urged the Authority to work closely with the Joint Cybersecurity Committee (JCC), which would soon be inaugurated and other non-governmental actors, including the private sector and civil society organisations.
She said the expertise and experience of the Board would be very instrumental in the fight against cybercrime and improve Ghana’s cybersecurity profile.
The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) was established by the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) to regulate cybersecurity activities, promote the development of cybersecurity and to provide for related matters.
The CSA officially started operations on October 1, 2021; starting as the National Cyber Security Secretariat (NCSS) with the appointment of the National Cybersecurity Advisor in 2017 and later transitioned into the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in 2018 as an agency under the then Ministry of Communications.
As a government agency under the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, the CSA has the responsibility to regulate cybersecurity activities in the country, prevent, manage and respond to cybersecurity threats and cybersecurity incidents, regulate owners of critical information infrastructure in respect of cybersecurity activities, cybersecurity service providers and practitioners in the country.
The Authority also has the mandate to promote the development of cybersecurity in the country to ensure a secured and resilient digital ecosystem, establish a platform for cross-sector engagement on matters of cybersecurity for effective co-ordination and co-operation between key public institutions and the private sector, create awareness of cybersecurity matters and collaborate with international agencies to promote the cybersecurity of the country.
Source: GNA