Scale up efforts to combat cybercrime - Justice Gertrude Torkornoo
A Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has urged African countries to scale up efforts to combat cybercrime in Africa.
She said this could be done through a multi-stakeholder approach within the context of the African Union Convention on Cyberspace, Security and protection of personnel data.
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According to Justice Torkornoo, it was crucial that every African country established a cybersecurity framework to stem the threat posed on economic and security activities.
“The African Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2021 indicates that Africa has an estimated 500 million internet users which equates to approximately 38 per cent of its population — this is an exponentially growing number.
“Currently, records show that Africa has the fastest growing telephone and internet networks in the world, and Africans make by far the greatest use of mobile banking services in the world,” she added.
Event
Justice Torkornoo was speaking at the 2022 CyberX Africa International Cyber Conference and Exhibition in Accra yesterday on the theme: “Developing digital leadership for a digital Africa”.
The three-day regional summit for the cyber industry provides a platform for participants to explore current and future threats on organised cybercrime, among other internet attacks.
Present were the Ambassador of Israel to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Shlomit Sufa; the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Strategic and Defence Studies, Africa (CDS Africa), Dr Angela Lamptey, and the Director of the African Centre for Strategic Studies (ACSS), Amanda Dory.
Also in attendance were cyber security professionals, policymakers, directors, chief information security officers and students, among others, from more than 30 countries.
It is being sponsored by the Attorney General Alliance - Africa, a non-profit organisation based in the US, with support from Fortinet, a cyber security solutions company.
Cyber Protection
Mrs Justice Torkornoo further said the Global Security Index ranked Ghana third in Africa, adding that the country was showing strong leadership in securing cyberspace.
“We must all be pleased that Ghana is showing strong leadership in securing cyberspace. We also have a strong legal infrastructure,” she said.
She called for skill development and collaboration with like-minded regional and international partners to make e-commerce administration and every form of e-learning a safe and secure adventure.
The Director of Legal and Coordinator of Security Governance Initiative (SGI) at the Ministry of National Security, Osei Bonsu Dickson, said: “What we need to do is to build capacities and train cyber cops as part of efforts to bridge the skills gap”.
He also emphasised the need for more public education on issues concerning cybersecurity.
The Director of the Attorney General Alliance (AGA) Africa, Mr Marcus Green, and Chair of the African Union Cyber Security Expert Group, Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola, both called for the building of capacity to ensure a safe cybersecurity space.
