Fighting Cybercrime: Procurement, budget must be transparent – Franklin Cudjoe

President of IMANI-Africa, Franklin Cudjoe wants a greater degree of openness and transparency in the budget and procurement processes for the purchase of all technologies that would be marshaled to fight cybercrime in the country.

The Communications Minister has revealed the government needs about $100 million this year to implement cybersecurity strategies to fight cybercrime in the country.

In her speech at a press conference on Monday, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful said the $100 million will fund security agencies and the judiciary with logistics to investigate and prosecute cybercrime offences to secure Ghana’s cyberspace.

“We need about $100 million for the first year alone to implement our cybersecurity strategy and about $250 million over five years. Our security agencies and judiciary must be equipped to investigate and prosecute cybercrime offences,” she stated.

But Cudjoe in a Facebook post advised the Communication Ministry that the process of advancing the needed technologies and logistics to block digital attacks must not be enveloped in secrecy.

“I truly admire the government’s devotion, in deeds and resources toward fighting cyber crime. One small request though- can we all agree on a credible budget and the procurement processes for the purchase of all technologies in this sacred battle to prevent cyber crime?