Ghana is the eighth country to have a social media presence, according to the most recent data published by Global Research Platform, according to Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, Director General of the Cyber Security Authority.
He added that over 24 million Ghanaians had internet access as of January 2024, and over 7 million of them were active on social media.
Additionally, 22,000 instances of child social abuse were noted.
To help sanitise cyberspace, Dr Antwi-Boasiako said the government and cybersecurity institutions need to detect, prevent, and prosecute offenders who engage in the aforementioned malicious actions.
“Global Research Platform, as of January 2024, estimated that more than 24 million Ghanaians were connected to the internet and more than 7 million were active on social media. Currently, Ghana is ranked the 8th country with an active social media presence,” he said.
The Director General of the Cybersecurity Authority added that “20% of children engage in the practice of taking pictures of themselves and sharing them with their close friends. Those images were later exploited for blackmailing purposes.”
Speaking at the launch of the 2024 National Cybersecurity Challenge in Accra on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, he pointed out that the exercise aims at promoting cybersecurity awareness among senior high schools by providing them with firsthand experience in identifying and mitigating digital threats, especially child online sexual exploitation and abuse.
70 senior high schools across the 16 regions of the country will partake in the third edition of the National Cybersecurity Challenge.
This year’s challenge is on the theme, “Empowering young minds, creating opportunities, and promoting a safer digital Ghana.”
FAB/YGO
