GhanaWeb, one of Ghana’s leading online news platforms, has changed ownership under contentious circumstances. Formerly owned by GhanaWeb BV, a Dutch company managed by Robert Bellart, the portal was independently operated, with Bellart frequently visiting Ghana to oversee operations. However, recent shift in ownership that has sparked controversy and even led to legal disputes.
Robert Bellart was actively seeking investors to support a strategic expansion into the African market when he was introduced to an NPP Member of Parliament through Ghanaian editor Anamale Edward Smith Anyeyore. This introduction led to the involvement of Dr. Ayew Afriyie, an MP representing Effiduase-Asokore in the Ashanti Region, who acquired GhanaWeb for €1 million.
Dr. Ayew Afriyie, a trained medical doctor and politician, took ownership of the portal. Born on January 22, 1978, in Effiduase.
Dispute and Shutdown
Reports indicate that the original agreement between Mr. Bellart and Dr. Ayew Afriyie was to sell only half of GhanaWeb’s shares for the €1 million. However, complications emerged, and the situation escalated, resulting in a prolonged stalemate between the two parties. This dispute caused GhanaWeb.com to be shut down for more than two weeks, after which a new site, GhanaWeb.live, was launched by the Dutch owner.
During this period, it is alleged that an IT manager, with assistance from the Ghanaian editor who did the introduction, managed to transfer ownership of the website’s domain from Mr. Bellart, ultimately handing full control to Dr. Ayew Afriyie. This unexpected move led to a drastic change in the management and direction of GhanaWeb.
Currently, there is an ongoing legal tussle between Robert Bellart and Dr. Ayew Afriyie in the courts of Amsterdam. The acquisition has impacted GhanaWeb’s operations and reputation, leading to a significant loss of website traffic and altering its status as an objective and neutral news source.
The platform, once a trusted and independent voice for both sides of the political divide, is now said to be operated from one of Dr. Afriyie’s luxury residences in East Legon. The ownership change and the related controversy have sparked concerns over media independence in Ghana, especially as the country approaches crucial elections.
Neutrality and Independence
Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam Nartey George, also revealed that a Member of Parliament with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is presently the owner of one of Ghana’s biggest media houses, GhanaWeb.com.
This claim was made during an interview on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana with host Randy Abbey.
Sam George, in his allegations, suggested that the NPP is attempting to exert control over various sectors to ensure victory in the upcoming elections.
He stated, “The NPP is so desperate to win power. They don’t believe that Dr. Bawumia and Dr. Napo on their own strengths can win them power. They need to capture every aspect of the tape.”
He further elaborated on the acquisition of GhanaWeb, a popular and perceived neutral platform that carries both NPP and NDC opinions. According to Sam George, GhanaWeb is part of a conglomerate called African Web Technologies, run by a Dutch man named Robela, who, after a dispute with his partner Mark, sought investors to offset damages he had to pay.
In his account, Sam George claimed, “Our colleague in Parliament on the NPP side paid 1 million euros to take over GhanaWeb. He has installed as the CEO his wife’s brother by the name of David Antwi as the new Managing Director.”
Sam George did not disclose the identity of the side NPP MP.
He however emphasized the implications of this alleged takeover, suggesting that GhanaWeb has now become an extension of the NPP’s propaganda wing.
“It is important that Ghanaians now know that GhanaWeb is no longer that objective mouthpiece. GhanaWeb has now become like Daily Search Light. It is an extension of the NPP propaganda wing,” he asserted.
