Cyber Essentials is a government-backed, industry-supported scheme to help organisations protect themselves against common online threats.

Dr Suzanne Nti, Senior Consultant, e-Crime Bureau, said the development of the Cyber Essentials Scheme comes at a time of great necessity in line with the Ministry of Communication's effort to ensure a Safer Digital Ghana.

"The vulnerable cyber space that we operate in calls for institutions to redefine their corporate governance structures and strategies by making the fight against fraud and cybercrime a center of it," Dr Nti remarked at the launched of the Cyber Essentials Certification Programme in Accra,

The event was organised by e-Crime Bureau in collaboration with Cyber Essentials Direct Limited at the Kofi Anan International Peace Keeping Centre.

The Cyber Essentials Certification Programme is aimed at providing solutions to internet- based threats for Small and Medium Enterprises and to support organisations of all sizes to measure their defences against common forms of cyber-attacks to ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of data stored on digital media.

Dr Nti said e-Crime Bureau has for a decade demonstrated a strong will to take a leadership role in Ghana's cyber security industry with a long-term vision to impact the rest of Africa.

"It is our resolve to make research and development a key aspect of our drive to introduce the most relevant solutions to address the many cyber security challenges industries face today," he said.

"We are glad by the feedback we receive from our clients and stakeholders by our commitment to fight the growing spate of cybercrime in Ghana."

She said the quest to implement the Cyber Essentials Scheme programme here in Ghana is consistent with the Bureau's tradition of pioneering cutting-edge innovations in the cyber security industry.

She said: "In these early years of the 21st century, we continue to live in the Information Age – an age where our organisations' greatest assets and lifeline rest on digital technologies and sophisticated means of conducting business".

Dr Nti said a person seeking to harm a business in this day and age does not aim his attacks at the company's physical assets; instead, he simply takes aim at its computer systems.

"The truth is, an organisation's cyber infrastructure is highly vulnerable to intrusions and threats to customer information and commercial data."

She said for these and many other reasons, the Cyber Essentials Scheme had been developed to protect organisations irrespective of their size against persistent cyber-threats.

She said its track record in the UK had encouraged and supported institutions to enhance their capacities, preparedness and commitment to ensure a safe digital environment for business. This, she said, being a UK Government initiative, has provided quality assurance and confidence to clients and stakeholders of institutions as a secured approach to protect investments amidst everyday cyber-threats.

Dr Nti said the Cyber Essentials programme was implemented by a scheme which includes a basic assessment of an organisations' cyber security readiness and measure of their defenses against common forms of cyber-attacks against international standard technical controls.

She said the scheme is a great way for organisations to implement a risk reduction strategy and build a cybersecurity awareness culture for current and future generations of organisations.

"Cybercrime is no longer a mere technology problem. It has become a people and governance demand which requires board and management teams to step up efforts to curtail the menace," Dr Nti said.

"Not only for corporate institutions, it carries a significant risk for public safety, security of a nation and the stability of the globally linked economy as a whole."

Mr Vincent Sowah Odotei, a Deputy Minister of Communication, said cybersecurity was no longer a local issue, since an increasing margin of government services and national physical infrastructure were increasingly tied to the internet, threats to cyber security carry significant risk for public safety, security of the nation and the stability of the globally linked economy as a whole.

He said there is the need for cooperation from all stakeholders and businesses to take full advantage of the Cyber Essentials Certification Programme as an investment in improving Ghana's cybersecurity ecosystem.

Mr Odotei said the Government was taking concrete steps to improving the institutional framework in the fight against cybercrime.

Nana Dr Appiagyei Dankawoso I, President of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), commended e-Crime Bureau and its collaborating partner, Cyber Essentials Direct Ltd for taking the bold step to introduce the Cyber Essentials Certifications Programme in Ghana.

He said it would provide opportunity for organisations to improve the cyber security controls, have the right mechanisms in place to detect any cyber-breach and effective response mechanisms to control and investigate when incidents occur.

He called on institutions including members of the GNCCI to embrace technology with the security of these systems as a topmost priority.