Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence's Innovation Week Underway in Accra

Government has set up an Inter-Ministerial Advisory Committee and a National Cyber Security Secretariat as Ghana begins the implementation of a National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy, the Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has disclosed.

The two bodies have been tasked to advice, devise and oversee a robust defence of Ghana's cyber security assets, especially in light of the Akufo-Addo government's digitization agenda as part of plans to formalise the economy.

Dr Bawumia noted that cyber security had been high on government's agenda in the wake of several high profile data breaches across the world and that with the digitization agenda, government was determined to leave no stone unturned to protect the data of her citizens.

Government, he said, was therefore, determined to take the necessary steps to ensure the enactment and enforcement of cyber security laws in order to strengthen the local industry and attract foreign investments, adding that government would ensure that global standards and practices are adhered to in the deployment of these technologies.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2017 edition of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence's Innovation week in Accra on Tuesday.

The Innovation Week, which is being organized on the theme: "Exponential Technologies and Innovations? Key Enabler for Accelerated Economic Development", brings together technology service providers, students, and tech innovators for interactive sessions and knowledge sharing.

Dr Bawumia explained that implementation of the Akufo-Addo government's Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) policy was one that would see to the realization of the vision to transform Ghana into an Information-rich Knowledge-based economy through the development, deployment and exploitation of ICTs within the economy and society.

He added that the protection of such data was crucial for its acceptance by local players in the industry and to help attract foreign partners.

He disclosed that technical work had been completed on the interoperability of the financial system and that full implementation was expected to begin in January to add another plank to Government's plan to formalise the Ghanaian economy.

Vice President Bawumia said the introduction of the digital drivers' license, digital vehicle registration, digital online registration of businesses at the Registrar General, Paperless port as well as the interoperability of the financial system were steps to formalize the economy.

Dr Bawumia said financial inclusion was very key to the economy and that to change the economy, there was the need for everybody practically to have a bank account, adding that for that to happen the technology ought to be available.

Source: ISD (Rex Mainoo Yeboah)

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