The internet Society of Ghana (ISOC) last Friday organised a workshop to sensitise people on the need to protect online data, as internet threats keep growing.
The workshop was in commemoration of the Global Encryption Day and was under the theme: “Encryption: Privacy versus National Security”.
It was in line with the ISOCs mission of supporting and promoting the development of the internet as a global technical infrastructure, as well as a resource to enrich people’s lives and a force for good in society.
Addressing the audience who gathered at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (AITI-KACE), President of ISOC-Ghana, Mr Francis AcquahAmaning,noted that Ghana has witnessed tremendous changes in the growth of internet usage since its emergence in the 90’s.
He, however, observed that as the growth occurs, cyber threats is inevitable, hence the need to attach much importance to data privacy.
“As the internet begins to grow, the threat or internet attack also begins to grow. So how do we secure the internet,” MrAmaning quizzed and called on people to take issue of encryption serious.
He indicated that encryption helps secure most of the services that we seek online and without it most people would be afraid to transact business online.
“This is why organisations such as the Data Protection Agency, Cyber Security Authority and other regulatory bodies are very important and must be given the necessary resources to carry out their mandate,” he said.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo Prampram, Mr Samuel Nattey George, on his part indicated that the legislative arm of government is doing its best to get laws that will ensure people’s security online are enacted.
He, however, expressed surprise as to why Civil Society Organisations’ (CSOs) are not engaging the government more on online protection and security.
According to the MP, cyber security is a national security issue and the state has a critical role to play in it.
He noted that protection against online gender base violence, child online protection, security for online banking among others are protections that the state is mandated to provide for it citizens, and so people must demand for it.
He indicated that parliament would do its part, but said he would want to see CSOs engage government institutions which have been given the mandate to ensure the protection of citizens’ security online.
The Chief Operations Manager at Africert, Mr Markus K.G. Adomey, on his part noted that there exists the Electronic Transaction Act (Act 722) and the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), which mandates the state to put in place key measures that would enable people feel safe online.
MrAdomey said he has not seen those measures being put in place and, therefore, called on the state to act swiftly to ensure that such measures are in place.
He observed that the “bad guys” in the system keep increasing in number, so the state must also act fast, since internet has become an integral part of society today.
