By Marcella Mwinkoma Babing
Deputy Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations and Member of Parliament for Sissala West, Mohammed Adams Sukparu, has recounted how his attempt to prevent a constituent from falling victim to a suspected cyber fraud scheme earned him accusations of being a “greedy” politician.
Speaking at the official opening of the 2026 National Cyber Security Awareness Month in Accra, Sukparu said the incident demonstrated how sophisticated cybercriminals have become and the need for Ghanaians to exercise greater caution when interacting with strangers online.
He narrated the case of a young man from a village in the Sissala West constituency who received a call from someone claiming to be his former Senior High School classmate living in the United States.
According to the Deputy Minister, the supposed friend used artificially generated images to convince the young man that he was indeed in New York and eventually offered to help him travel to the United States.
The young man and his family became excited about the opportunity. He was subsequently asked to obtain a passport and later pay GH¢10,000 as a visa processing fee.
When the family approached Sukparu for assistance, he said his inquiries raised concerns about the authenticity of the arrangement.
“I told the young man that it was a scam,” he recounted.
The family, however, disagreed with him and left disappointed. Sukparu said the situation eventually led to accusations that he was deliberately preventing people from his constituency from travelling abroad.
He said the family even approached his mother, complaining that he was being selfish and did not want other people to prosper.
Despite the pressure, the MP said he refused to provide the GH¢10,000 and continued to warn the family against sending money to the supposed agent.
The family eventually borrowed money and sent the GH¢10,000.
The young man was then reportedly instructed to travel to Accra for a supposed interview at the United States Embassy. According to Sukparu, the family did not inform him about the trip, allegedly because they feared he would interfere with the process.
The supposed opportunity, however, did not materialise. Sukparu said the telephone numbers provided by the individuals behind the arrangement subsequently became unreachable.
He said the case has since been brought to the attention of the Cyber Security Authority, whose Director-General, Dr Divine Selase Agbeti, is aware of the matter and is investigating it.
For Sukparu, the experience illustrates how cybercriminals can exploit information that people openly share online.
He warned that criminals can monitor people’s social-media activities, interactions and publicly available personal information to build profiles of potential victims before launching targeted attacks.
The story comes at a time Ghana is recording significant growth in digital financial services, alongside increasing cybersecurity concerns.
Statistics from the Cyber Security Authority show that 3,876 cybersecurity incidents were recorded in Ghana between January and July 2026, with 1,818 cases — approximately 47 percent — linked to online fraud.
The figures were disclosed as Ghana began the 2026 National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is being observed throughout October under the theme: “Securing Ghana’s Digital Finance Ecosystem: Building Trust Through Collaboration and Cyber Resilience.”
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of sector Minister Samuel Nartey George, Sukparu stressed that the growing use of mobile money, digital banking, fintech platforms and online public services makes cybersecurity a shared responsibility.
He called for stronger collaboration among banks, telecommunication operators, fintech companies, regulators, law enforcement agencies and the public to prevent cybercrime and respond effectively when incidents occur.
He also emphasised the importance of cyber hygiene and digital literacy, urging users to protect their credentials, verify suspicious requests for payment, recognise fraudulent messages and report suspected cybercrime through the appropriate channels.
The Deputy Minister outlined five strategic areas for the 2026 campaign: securing Ghana’s digital finance ecosystem; cybercrime prevention and response; cyber resilience and critical infrastructure protection; cyber hygiene and digital safety; and capacity building, research and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
The Cyber Security Authority has also called for stronger cooperation among financial institutions, telecommunications companies, fintechs, government agencies and the public, stressing that securing Ghana’s digital ecosystem cannot be achieved by one institution alone.
For Sukparu, however, the national statistics represent more than numbers.
His experience with the constituent, he said, is a reminder that behind every cybercrime statistic is a real person, family or business that can lose money, opportunities and trust.
And while he may have been labelled “greedy” for trying to stop one constituent from sending money to suspected fraudsters, his message to the public was clear: verify before you trust, and think twice before sending money based on an online promise.
