Ghana: Energy Ministry Prepares To Tackle Cyber Attacks On Energy Infrastructure

Ghana’s Energy Ministry has commenced processes to avert the possibility of cyber-attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.

As part of the processes, the Ministry, last Friday, inaugurated an Energy Sector Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) implementation committee in line with the dictates of section 44 of the Cyber Security Act 2020 (Act 1038).

The Committee is chaired by Andrew Egyapa Mercer, Deputy Minister for Energy, and supported by Dr Albert Antwi Boasiako, Director General of the Cyber Security Authority.

Inaugurating the committee, the Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh remarked that Ghana’s energy sector infrastructure within the context of the global energy value chain is not insulated from cyber-attacks, which means there must be deliberate efforts at combating such crimes, as the incapacitation and destruction of this infrastructure would have a devastating impact on the national economy.

The Minister, in a post on the Ministry of Energy’s Facebook page sighted by energynewsafrica.com, further indicated his recognition of the need for effective cyber security control in the energy sector.

“This, I believe, will help us quickly detect and prevent potential cyber incidents and minimise their impacts, even when they occur,” Dr Opoku Prempeh said

The Minister tasked the committee to, among others, harmonise the efforts of all stakeholders to ensure that “we have a firm grip over the cyber security space of our sector.

“As sector Minister, I remain committed to synergizing our efforts with the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) for a smooth implementation process,” he said

He continued: “The cyberspace of the energy sector is very important as far as guarding the sanctity of the work we do is concerned. We are, thus, prioritising it with all the seriousness we can muster.”

Source: https://energynewsafrica.com