Cyber-attack has been one of the major but silent killers of many Small and Medium Enterprises in Ghana, a study conducted by Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs reveals that more SMEs in Ghana are gradually falling as prey for cyber criminals.
The survey report by the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs presented recently indicates that, about 43% of Small and Medium Enterprises in Ghana have suffered Cyber attack. This was revealed after over 200 SMEs were involved in a survey conducted by the Ghana Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs in partnership with the European Union Green project and SNV.
In a presentation, Cyber Security Expert Mr. Abubakar Issaka, who doubles as President of Cyberwatch Protection Ghana says, the SMEs who suffered in the hands of the cyber criminals, lost money and other valuables running into thousands of Ghana Cedis as well as some vital information on their businesses.
He added that, the survey also unraveled that majority of the SMEs got attacked more than once which means that the cyber criminals have made the Small and Medium Enterprises sector a lucrative arena for their attacks hence the need for pragmatic actions to be taken in order to avert further attacks.
At the Ashanti regional turn of the stakeholder engagement forum held in Kumasi on 29th March 2022, the Cyber Security Expert provided safety etiquettes to be espoused when one finds himself/herself on the cyberspace and thus urged players in the Small and Medium Enterprises sector to take issues of Cyber-attack (Cyber Crime) very serious as well as invest on their Information System management.
Meanwhile, Mr. Abubakar seized the opportunity and expressed his gratitude to the Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs, SNV and the Green project for bringing forth such nationwide engagement which is still going on in other parts of the country.
However, the Cyber Security Expert appealed to stakeholders, the Cyber Security Authority, government, NGOs, Civil Society Organisations among others to support the advocacy on Cyber Security, so that the challenges Cyber Crime poses to these SMEs and Ghana at large can be mitigated if not eradicated entirely. This he says will ensure a Cyber Safe Ghana.
