Speakers in a group photograph after the forum
The Executive Director of the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), Dr. Albert Antwi Boasiako, has given an assurance of his outfit’s commitment to protect the digital rights of the citizenry.
This, he said, included the protection of data and information of the citizenry in the digital space.
He gave the assurance on the sidelines at the opening of the 11th edition of the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum held in Accra last Tuesday.
Held under theme, “Fostering Rights and Inclusion in the Digital Age,” the aim of the three-day event was to provide a platform for the dissection of issues related to digital rights and inclusion as well as challenges encountered in the digital space and how to address it.
Organised by Paradigm Initiative (PIN), in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, the forum brought together stakeholders from over 60 countries, including government agencies, civil society organisations, academia among others.
“There is this global discourse on the need to balance cyber security measures and the right and protection of citizens. Ghana has taken some steps in the last three years to improve the state of our cyber security, which included the passage of the Cyber Security Act (Act1038).
“But in all these, we have taken the need to guarantee the rights of citizens, and Ghana is seen to be a country that is developing cyber security measures but also taking into consideration the protection of the digital rightS of citizens,” Dr. Boasiako said.
He also underscored the need to listen to the views of civil society organisations and incorporate their opinions in the development of a national emergency response policy to address existing and emerging problems encountered within the digital space.
Dr. Boasiako disclosed that Ghana’s internet penetration was more than 70 million, according to statistics.
He explained that cyber security penetration was used to assess the performance of cyber security of countries globally, considering measures such as occupational measures, capacity building and international cooperation, awareness creation, and legal measures.
Dr. Boasiako also commended the government for the support given the CSA over the past years, as the country continues to make steady progress in the area of cyber security, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Cybersecurity Index.
For his part, the Executive Director of PIN, Mr.  ‘Gbenga Sesan, noted that it was important for African governments to build digital transformation programmes, including the development of policies to help address the issue of digital divide and promote digital inclusion.
The Board Vice Chair of Paradigm Initiative, Dr. Aida Opoku-Mensah, in her opening remarks, urged all stakeholders to remain steadfast in their commitment to advance digital rights and inclusion, while embracing diversity of thoughts and perspectives.
By Nafisatu Abdul Razak & Janet Odei Amponsah