Conference on IT Audit, Information Security and Risk Insights

The Accra Chapter of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) has organized a 3-days sensitization conference on IT Audit, Information Security and Risk Insights in Africa

The conference dubbed "ISACA's IT Audit Information Security and Risk Insights 2015" brought together 150 participants made up of IT personnel's from various Corporate Institutions; both public and private including Chief Executive Officers, Owners and Heads of IT Companies in addition to ISACA members within 4 major West African Countries namely; Togo, Nigeria, Benin and Ghana.

The 3-days forum is expected to help participants address some of the key issues confronting Africans in promoting ICT as a tool for national development.

Some of the key issues ranges from Cyber-crime, system failures, infrastructure, data and above all how to come out with innovative tools to drive ICT in Africa in order to be able to compete with the global world market and many others.

Delivering his address at the opening of the conference at the Alisa Hotel in Accra on Monday, Deputy Minister of Communication, Hon. Ato Sarpong hinted Government is committed to promote ICT as tool for national development by coming out with policies and regulations.

According to him, Government sees ICT as a major tool for nation development since it saves time, enhances businesses and empowers people therefore believes if well structured will accelerate the development of the nation.

"Government believes there are many benefits that Ghana will derive from ICT as a country therefore government is coming out with policies and regulations to sharpen ICT as a tool to enable people do things they need to do using ICT.

Hon. Ato Sarpong disclosed as efforts to deliver on its mandate of promoting ICT as a tool for nation development, Government has already introduced a data protection act which is intended to protect the data of users of ICT services.

In addition to that, Government is also investing in infrastructure; the eastern corridor infrastructure, setting up of a national data center with the view to make ICT flourish.

He said one area of intervention in which Government is also exploring to promote ICT in Ghana is using the innovative tool designed by GIFEC to drive ICT to areas or communities underserved with the introduction of the rural telephony system which ensures that places where data operators are not willing to go Government is able to reach people there with data, voice and video appropriately.

Hon. Sarpong also hinted government's plan to establish a National ICT Centre to train young girls who are interested in pursuing ICT as their future career.

This, he said Government is committed to do to clear the perception in the minds of people who thinks the ICT space is only meant for the male but not the female by giving girls the equal opportunity to pursue a brighter career of their choice in ICT.

He assured Governments relentless effort of numerous interventions being explored currently to boost the IT space in Ghana in order to drive ICT for national development when he open the conference last Monday in Accra.

He advise the participants to lead the crusade in ensuring that Governance structures across various organizations, be it private, public or at the corporate level is the right one and most importantly they must work properly.

He also urged them to lead the crusade in ensuring that the Ghana has the real security systems in place to be able to resist the attack of cybercrime.

Major Account Manager of Checkpoint Software Technologies Limited, Bryan Ofoegbu in an interview with Journalists questioned the level of Ghana's preparedness in terms of ICT security maturity describing it as feeble in dealing with the vulnerability exploits and heavy invasive techniques of hackers of this century.

"As ICT is moving and evolving, what is Ghana doing today to be ready for a zero day attack?" he asked.

"Because there's a lot of hackers out there with vulnerability exploits and heavy invasion techniques so there should be a platform whereby Ghana today should have in terms of IT security maturity" he hinted.

According to Bryan Ofoegbu there's a lot of awareness that must be created for Ghana in order to be ready and able to face the future with hope resisting the attack of cyber crime and hackers

He indicated that only a sophisticated solution could see Ghana through in the fight against internet crime, urging Ghanaian IT experts to seek proper solution to threat problems by seeking shelter from the able arms of Check Point Solutions

"Let me use this opportunity to reach out to IT professionals in Ghana and beyond to get in touch with Check Point Software Technologies Ltd quickly for an "absolute security systems" that will shield them from all manners of Cyber crimes that put people at risk.

Check Point Software Technologies Limited is a global leader in network security software, firewall solutions, VPN solutions, endpoint security network protection security management and date. The company has been in existence for 25 years, spread across 88 countries and visible in 401 companies worldwide.

ISACA is a nonprofit IT assurance, security and governance association serving more than 86,000 professionals in 180 countries with 200 chapters worldwide and 1000 members currently.

The Accra Chapter of ISACA was formed to provide educational opportunities to IT professionals in the area and to ensure that best practice regulatory policies in information security compliance and IT audit are mainstreamed in the Ghanaian business environment.

The 3-days conference on IT Audit, Information Security and Risks Insights 2015 was organized by ISACA Accra Chapter and supported by Check Point Software Technologies Limited,Innovare,Scala and Rhytex Consulting .

By Joseph Kobla Wemakor/rodaleen30@gmail.com