Minister urges online security for children

The Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekufful, has urged Ghanaians to prioritise online safety for their children.

“It is important that we alert them about the dangers lurking on online websites even on websites associated to their leisurely activities,  children must be cautious not to click on any pop-up messages which appear fancy to them”, she said.

Mrs Owusu-Ekufful said “When we meet strangers on the street, we don’t disclose our private life to them, however, when we are online we behave differently by accepting friend requests from total strangers”.

The minister made the call on Saturday during the launch of the Africa Safer Internet Day (ASID) meant to promote the safer usage of internet, especially among the youth.

She noted that the ministry for the past three years had undertaken outreach programmes to educate children about the functionalities, beauty and dangers of the digital devices that they use.

“There is a 24-hour point of contact for children whom they could engage on all forms of media that provided assistance to them,” Mrs Owusu-Ekufful said.

The annual event attracted children from various schools in the Ablekuma West Municipality.

They marched through some streets of Dansoman holding placards some of which read ‘Do Not Use your Children as Accessories for your Pages’ while they distributed flyers to members of the community.

The event, which was themed: “Together for a better Internet,” was organised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), through the Ministry of Communication.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Ablekuma West, Mr George Cyril Bray, said children were more susceptible to cybercrime hence the awareness creation was key to the municipality.

He noted that although access to internet was very crucial, the municipality was working hard to promote it, and there was the need to advocate its safe usage.

Mr Bray stated that almost every school in the municipality had a computer laboratory and once students were exposed to the internet, educating them on its safe usage was critical.

He tasked parents to monitor and educate their wards when they surfing the internet.

The main event was held on February 11, at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, Dansoman in Accra.

BY YUNUSAH ESSANDOH