On 12th September 2024, the Economic and Organised Crime Office partnered with the ZongoVation Hub, an NGO in Accra, to interact with participants of their ZongoVation Coding Bootcamp 2024.

In his welcome address, Founding member and Manager of the ZongoVation Hub, Mr. Khalid stated that they had seen the good work EOCO is doing with their sensitization programmes and thought it wise to invite EOCO to partner with them during their 2024 Coding Bootcamp.

He indicated that the goal of the bootcamp is to help young people who live in the Zongos to learn coding, robotics and good cyber hygiene. The participants were made up of children who had just completed the BECE and awaiting their results.

The Head of Public Affairs of EOCO, SO Faustina Lartey took participants through the definition of social media, the types of social media and the positive and negative effects of the use of social media.

She admonished the participants to use social media for positive things that include communication, research, learning new skills such as robotics, coding, art and crafts among others. She further encouraged them to use age-appropriate apps when using the cyber space since this helps to keep them safe on the internet.

Also on the topic of Cybercrime and related issues, the participants were taken through the definition of cybercrime, the types of cybercrime and the legal implications of engaging in any type of cybercrime.

In concluding her presentation, SO Faustina Lartey charged participants to always use the internet for positive activities since all activities they engage in can be traced back to them. She further charged them to avoid cyber bullying and protect themselves from being bullied by reporting cyber bullies to the Cyber Security Authority on short code 292.

She also advised them to activate their privacy settings on their internet powered gadgets and always use the internet to spread love and kindness.