Table of recent Acts & Policies of ICT in Ghana. Policy/Act Description Key Purpose(s) Security Implications Remarks Act 524 The National To establish the NCA a Data transmission No stringent (repealed by regulator interception; electronic regulation on Authority communications cross-border Act 769, 2008) (NCA) Act 1996 interference; data providers; no protection; safeguard the regulation on secrecy of technology communications; personal deployment data protection. L.I. 1719 Arrangement of To provide universal access Privacy; secrecy of NCA communications; Monitoring of regulations, operators 2003 Policy 2005 National To provide universal access to Customer information Telecoms Policy all citizens; to provide private violations & misuse; licensed VSAT systems & incidents of outages; International data networks; unwarranted use of customer information. Act 769 NCA Act 769, To establish the NCA as 2008 central regulator; To regulate the provision of communications services in Ghana. Act 771 National To regulate ICT provision; to Periodic checks on Information ensure quality ICT provision; operators to Technology Act to promote standards of ascertain QoS 771, 2008 efficiency; to ensure high QoS. Act 772 Electronics To remove & prevent barriers Interception; Data protection Act Transactions to e-communications & confidentiality, integrity & is preparation; Act 772, 2008 transactions; to give legal non-repudiation implied; inclusion of issues backing to e-commerce; to availability (denial of on electronic promote e-gov’t services; to service). signature, develop safe, secure & consumer efficient environment. protection, archival, etc. Act 775 Electronic To establish GIFEC fund for Interceptions; provisioning of UA & US. confidentiality; Act 775, 2008 Act 786 Electronic Amendment to Act 775; to provide a minimum rate for (Amendment) International in-coming Act 786, 2009 electronic communications traffic 3.3.3 Challenges of the regime Several key challenges in cyber-security markets and products in recent times have highlighted significant limitations in the existing regulatory system. It will suffice to mention just a few. The (Internet Compliant Center (IC3), 2009) 2008 Internet Crime report listed Ghana as amongst the top 10 perpetrator countries; menace (“sakawa” is a local term coined for Internet fraud where unsuspecting victims are ”Sakawa” lured into parting with monies.
Table of recent Acts & Policies of ICT in Ghana. Policy/Act Description Key Purpose(s) Security Implications Remarks Act 524 (repealed by Act 769, 2008) The National Authority (NCA) Act 1996 To establish the NCA a regulator Data transmission interception; electronic communications interference; data protection; safeguard the secrecy of communications; personal data protection. No stringent regulation on cross-border providers; no regulation on technology deployment L.I. 1719 Arrangement of NCA regulations, 2003 To provide universal access Privacy; secrecy of communications; Monitoring of operators Policy 2005 National Telecoms Policy To provide universal access to all citizens; to provide private licensed VSAT systems & International data networks; Customer information violations & misuse; incidents of outages; unwarranted use of customer information. Act 769 NCA Act 769, 2008 To establish the NCA as central regulator; To regulate the provision of communications services in Ghana. Act 771 National Information Technology Act 771, 2008 To regulate ICT provision; to ensure quality ICT provision; to promote standards of efficiency; to ensure high QoS. Periodic checks on operators to ascertain QoS Act 772 Electronics Transactions Act 772, 2008 To remove & prevent barriers to e-communications & transactions; to give legal backing to e-commerce; to promote e-gov’t services; to develop safe, secure & efficient environment. Interception; confidentiality, integrity & non-repudiation implied; availability (denial of service). Data protection Act is preparation; inclusion of issues on electronic signature, consumer protection, archival, etc. Act 775 Electronic Act 775, 2008 To establish GIFEC fund for provisioning of UA & US. Interceptions; confidentiality; Act 786 Electronic (Amendment) Act 786, 2009 Amendment to Act 775; to provide a minimum rate for International in-coming electronic communications traffic 3.3.3 Challenges of the regime Several key challenges in cyber-security markets and products in recent times have highlighted significant limitations in the existing regulatory system. It will suffice to mention just a few. The (Internet Compliant Center (IC3), 2009) 2008 Internet Crime report listed Ghana as amongst the top 10 perpetrator countries; ”Sakawa” menace (“sakawa” is a local term coined for Internet fraud where unsuspecting victims are lured into parting with monies.
Cyber_security_policy_regulatory_implications_on_SMEs_Comm_Strategies_journal_ver_2.1_revised.docx