President John Dramani Mahama has appointed Dr Jamal Tonzua as the acting Deputy Director-General of the Cyber Security Authority.

Among other things, the Cyber Security Authority;

(1) regulates cybersecurity activities in Ghana;

(2) prevents, manages and responds to cybersecurity threats and cybersecurity incidents;

(3) regulates owners of critical information infrastructure in respect of cybersecurity activities, cybersecurity service providers and practitioners in the country; and

(4) promotes the development of cybersecurity in the country to ensure a secured and resilient digital ecosystem.

With his background in international law, national security, and public service, Dr Tonzua is expected to support the administration of President John Mahama to succeed through enhanced international cooperation on cybersecurity, regulating cybersecurity activities, promoting the development of cybersecurity, and ensuring a secure and resilient digital ecosystem in Ghana.

Dr Jamal Tonzua is a multilingual lawyer, a law lecturer, and a policy consultant with professional experience and specialisations in Ghanaian law, public international law, international relations, national security, climate change and sustainability, and dispute resolution.

He previously served as a government legal advisor, a military staff officer of the Ghana Armed Forces, and a consultant at the United Nations.  

Between 2017 and 2023, Dr. Tonzua advised Ghana’s Ministry of Defence and military commanders on international law and policy, including human rights, environmental law, and defence cooperation agreements.

He also trained UN peacekeeping troops and contributed to arms control and military welfare reforms. In 2021, he played a key role in securing $150 million from the Green Climate Fund for the African Development Bank’s Desert-to-Power Initiative.

Dr. Tonzua holds advanced degrees from the University of Oxford, Georgetown Law, and Johns Hopkins SAIS, specialising in international cyber operations.

He is an alumnus of prestigious international law and policy fellowships and has received top academic distinctions from Georgetown Law.

A member of the International Bar Association, he has presented at major global platforms, including the UN International Law Commission and the UNCITRAL Days in Africa. His research spans international investment law, cyberspace governance, and transnational crime.