90% MoMo fraud cases not probed

The Minister of Communication, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has disclosed that only 10 percent of about 365 mobile money fraud cases monthly were investigated and prosecuted in the country.

She blamed the low rate of prosecution on the use of fake Identity (ID) cards by subscribers in registering their SIM cards.

National Identification System is the solution

The solution to this challenge is the establishment of a credible National Identification System from which all institutions can verify the validity of identities used by all.

Telcos block 400,000 scam messages daily

According to her, the introduction of mobile money has attracted a lot of fraud in the system with over 400,000 scam messages blocked on daily basis by telecommunication companies.

The Minister, who was speaking yesterday at the climax of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month, stated that the awareness would help address the situation as she charged all telecom companies to register SIM cards with due diligence to address the situation.

She said the protection of the national communication infrastructure was key and further urged the public to adopt responsible behaviour towards cybersecurity.

President pledges funding to address cybersecurity

President Nana Akufo-Addo, speaking at the climax assured that government would provide the funding for the critical infrastructure needed to ensure Ghana’s cybersecurity to protect the people, the economy and the country’s national security.

National Cyber Security Authority to be set up

Furthermore, as part of efforts to secure Ghana’s cyberspace, government, he said, was to set up a National Cyber Security Authority and also enact a Cyber Security Act to address the current challenges facing the national cybersecurity development in line with global trends.

The Awareness month was being observed on the theme: ‘A Safer Digital Ghana’.

Safe and secure digital experience

With Ghana registering significant developments in the last 18 months with the introduction of paperless ports processes, digital property addressing system, mobile money interoperability systems, amongst others, President Akufo-Addo said his administration was taking the needed precautionary measures and investment fit-for-purpose to make the country’s digital experience safe and secure as the nation scaled up e-connectivity as part of government's digitalisation agenda.

10 million Ghanaians connected to the internet

“With 10 million Ghanaians connected to the internet, of which 4.9 million are Facebook users alone, the impact of any cyber-attack on our e-business platforms or on mobile telephony will impact negatively on businesses and on the lives of Ghanaians."

Dramatic rise in cyberspace threat

With the dramatic rise in cyberspace threat and the hazards of technological advancement on Ghana’s security, he said the nation cannot afford a situation where cyber threats undermine the gains made through the digitalisation of the country’s economy, saying no efforts would be to keep the country in readiness to address cybersecurity issues.

Ghana, like many developing countries, the President noted, had come of age with its digitalisation agenda, thus there was utmost need to actively secure its digital space same to sustain the gains made thus far.

President denies social media rumours

The President seized the opportunity to deny social media rumours that he was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital over the weekend for emergency treatment after a critical ailment.

He said his presence at the health facility had nothing to do with those speculations, but that he had gone there to visit his brother-in-law who had been hospitalized pending a hip surgery.

“As you see me here standing hale and hearty, it appears the hospitals, even the military hospitals are toxic areas for the Commander-in-Chief.

“My brief visit to the 37 Military Hospital yesterday to visit my brother-in-law, Captain Powis Spencer, who was there for a hip operation, is being translated into my collapse on the social media in preparation for my evacuation abroad,” the President said.

Those speculations about the President’s ill-health and his subsequent admission at the Military Hospital took centre-stage on the social media space at the weekend, sparking unease among citizens, many of whom, have been seeking clarification on the matter.

President Akufo-Addo said thus: “All I can say is thatI’m sorry to disappoint all those whose political fortunes depend on my ill-health and degeneration. We are all in the hands of the Almighty, Amen,” he declared amidst a thunderous applause from the gathering.

National Cyber Security Advisor, Albert Antwi-Boasiako, on his part, said Ghana needs to scale up efforts to protect its Critical National Information Infrastructure to address existing gaps in the cybercrime and cybersecurity legislation, speed up capacity building efforts for public officials and intensify public awareness creation efforts for public officials.

“We also need to operationalise our international cooperation efforts in addressing the challenges that we all face as a country,” he added.