The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has urged multinational firms operating in the country to continue to comply with the laws of the land in respect of the sovereignty of the Republic of Ghana.

This was the outcome of a deliberation between CSA and the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications to provide clarity on the Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) registration process, and compliance with regulations on the licensing of Cybersecurity Service Providers (CSPs), accreditation of Cybersecurity Establishments (CEs) and Cybersecurity Professionals (CPs).

In his opening remarks, the Director General of the Cyber Security Authority, Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako said the move by the Authority, especially in the development of the framework for which members are expected to share information as a requirement for the development of a legislative instrument (LI), would be backed by science and subsequently cater for the protection of Ghana’s CIIs.

He, therefore, assured the chamber of the Authority’s readiness to engage stakeholders to address concerns, adding that the position of the law will not be compromised in the consultative process.

He however cautioned that any posturing of non-compliance by firms and institutions will not be tolerated as the supreme interest of the country would be the prime focus of the regulatory activities of the CSA.

Dr. Antwi-Boasiako further touched on the need for CSPs, CEs and CPs to align with the ongoing licensing and accreditation process by the Authority to improve the cybersecurity profile of the country.

The move, according to the D-G of the CSA was also within the context of the larger African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) objective of promoting the development of the cybersecurity industry by ensuring that cybersecurity service providers and professionals operate with best practices in support of protecting the Ghanaian digital ecosystem.

According to the CSA, the regulations of the CSPs, CEs and CPs will further enhance collaboration between the CSA and the emerging cybersecurity industry.

In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey said that in an era where trust was gradually receding, any attempt at building it would be supported by members of the Chamber.

He, therefore, applauded the CSA for leading in this endeavour, insisting that the sustainability of businesses depends on information security, making the assurance of data protection by the CSA essential. 

The parties, therefore, recognised the importance of securing the telecommunications sector-especially systems designated as critical information infrastructure (CII) pursuant to Section 35 of the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) and endorsed the ongoing licensing and accreditation process as a step in the right direction.

After successful deliberations, the CSA and the Chamber of Telecommunications agreed to collaborate more closely on certain critical areas and provide each other with the necessary support for the efficient performance of their functions.

The meeting concluded with an agreement outlining the following areas for cooperation:

 The CSA works in collaboration with the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Chamber will collaborate to develop a telecommunication sector-specific Directive for the protection of CIIs in the telecommunications sector. 

A workshop would be organised in April 2023, between the CSA, and members of the Chamber to fully comprehend the critical dependencies within the value chain of the telecommunications industry.

The Chamber will contribute to the development of the CSA’s legislative instrument.

A workshop would be organised on the CII Registration process with CII owners in the telecommunications sector. Members of the Chamber would provide a presentation on the security measures they have implemented to protect their data.

The CSA would engage the ICT sector, professional bodies and institutions on the licensing and accreditation process.

Both the CSA and the Chamber resolved to work closely, together with the National Communications Authority (NCA) who was represented at the consultative meeting to facilitate effective cybersecurity development in the telecommunications sector.