Digitally safe country necessary

Last Thursday, the Daily Graphic reported the launch of the Cyber Security Month, which is scheduled to start from October 1.

The month-long awareness programme will have the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) touring the length and breadth of the country, sensitising Ghanaians to security online and digitally enabled technologies.

The theme selected for the awareness programme is: “Regulating cyber security: A public-private sector collaborative approach.”

The month-long programme is part of the government’s efforts under its five-year National Cyber Security Awareness Programme, dubbed: “A safer digital Ghana.”

Essentially, cyber security is the protection of Internet-connected systems, such as hardware, software and data, from cyber threats.

The practice is used by individuals and enterprises to protect against unauthorised access to data centres and other computerised systems.

Indeed, a safer digital Ghana is all that Ghanaians crave for.

We look forward to a safer digital Ghana where digitally enabled technologies, such as the Internet and e-services are propelling dynamic economic growth and prosperity for all; where such technologies are used to extend healthcare services to remote locations; where students study unhindered by having access to data to also contribute towards better digitalisation nationwide.

We want a safer digital Ghana where all know the place of digitalisation as an enabler of societies and not a tool for profanity, insulting the elderly or engaging in crime or fraudulent activities.

The Daily Graphic had, in the past, used its voice to call for the sensitisation of Ghanaians to the security of the virtual world and we are happy that the government has such a plan.

Also very encouraging is the fact that the CSA will be carrying out activities with partners nationwide for a whole month.

Ensuring safety online or in the use of digitally enabled technologies is a collective effort of both the public and the private sectors.

That is because these sectors are linked and not independent of each other. Rather, they propel each other and any weakness in one sector impacts on the other.

Apart from that, cyber security issues, by necessity, need the collaboration of parties in both sectors because the virtual space is extensive and many a time faceless.

The theme for the month-long awareness is thus apt.

The Daily Graphic expects that at the end of October, the outcome of the month-long programme will include an army of common “cyber security aware Ghanaians” who are not only knowledgeable about cyber security but are also trainers of others, carrying onwards the message of cyber security.

We also expect that the month-long effort will be replicated next year and launched in our markets, commercial vehicle terminals (trotro stations), taxi ranks, churches and mosques.

The Daily Graphic, for its part, being the state’s truthful and accurate mouthpiece, lends its support to the programme, ready to inform many more others as the programme rolls on.

This is because cyber insecurity is costly to the country, individuals and other economic actors.

Ayekoo CSA. Kudos for the efforts.