The Minister for Communications, Digitalisation, and Innovation, Hon. Sam George, has called for urgent reforms to Ghana’s cybersecurity framework, emphasizing the need for stronger legislation to combat misinformation and cybercrime.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, Hon. George addressed key concerns raised by fellow lawmakers Hon. Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings and Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarko regarding the role of technology in governance, tax collection, and national security.
One of the key issues highlighted by the Minister was the growing problem of online impersonation. He revealed that nearly every Member of Parliament (MP) has been a victim of fraudulent social media accounts, including himself. He shared a recent incident where scammers used his identity to offer fake immigration jobs.
“No Member of Parliament or Minister of State will reach out to people on social media to offer them jobs. Any such approach is a scam.” He issued a strong warning to the public, stating,
To tackle this, he called for intensified public awareness campaigns, urging the media to play a key role in educating Ghanaians on online scams and cyber threats.
Hon. George acknowledged that many digital platforms where cybercrimes occur are owned by multinational corporations such as Meta, which operates Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. He shared that through engagements with Meta’s representatives for Africa and West Africa, he successfully had 25 fraudulent accounts removed within 24 hours.
However, he stressed that Ghana cannot tackle these issues alone. He proposed that the country take the lead in advocating for an African Union (AU) and ECOWAS-wide data protection framework, modeled after the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
The Minister also addressed difficulties in prosecuting cybercriminals, noting that while arrests have been made, securing convictions remains a challenge due to a lack of expertise among law enforcement officers and judges.
He pointed to the Cybersecurity Act, Act 1038, passed in 2020, which includes provisions for preserving digital evidence. However, he expressed concerns about the potential misuse of cybersecurity tools if placed solely under the control of law enforcement agencies. Instead, he recommended that the Cyber Security Authority, a civilian institution, be entrusted with managing digital security measures.
Hon. Sam George’s statements underscored the urgency of implementing stronger cybersecurity measures to protect Ghana’s digital space. He reiterated the need for continued collaboration between government institutions, private sector stakeholders, and international partners to enhance cybersecurity, combat misinformation, and ensure digital safety for all citizens.
As Ghana’s digital economy expands, the call for proactive and effective legislation to safeguard online activities has become more pressing than ever.
