Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Fatimatu Abubakar and officials of CSA at the launch
Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) has been launched with the aim of educating the public on the importance of digital safety and best practices in the face of growing cyber risks.
The launch at the Ministry of Information in Accra was on the theme, “Combating Misinformation and Disinformation in a Digitally Resilient Democracy: Our Collective Responsibility”.
The month-long activities are expected to bring together government officials, private sector players, cybersecurity professionals, and civil society organisations to promote cybersecurity awareness and encourage responsible use of digital tools.
Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, who launched the awareness month emphasised that the country has witnessed a significant transformation in how citizens live, work, and interact due to the rapid advancement of digital technologies.
She mentioned that the developments have also introduced new risks, including cyberbullying, privacy breaches, and the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
“The point of digitalisation is cybersecurity, you can’t have one without the other. While we celebrate the introduction of new technologies like artificial intelligence for their potential to positively transform our lives, we must also acknowledge the significant challenges they bring,” she stated.
She further stated that despite these successes, the increasing use of digital platforms has also exposed Ghanaians to the dangers of misinformation and disinformation, especially on social media.
The Minister also revealed that as at January 2024, Ghana had 24.6 million internet users, representing 69.8% of the population, and 7.4 million active social media users.
She said in spite of the positive use of that, deliberate use of digital platforms to spread misinformation can “stoke unimaginable insecurity”.
Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority, Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako stated that his outfit is ramping up efforts to combat the threat of disinformation as the country approaches elections in December.
He said the Authority has provided a hotline for citizens to verify any suspicious information circulating online.
“If you have any suspicions, regardless of the information circulating, please just call 292,” he added.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah