Ghana's leading news platform, GhanaWeb, is facing internal challenges, including a sudden domain extension change to .live (ghanaweb.live), a shift in leadership, and conflicting messages from key personnel.
The unavailability of key website sections and contradictory statements from founder Robert Bellaart and purported new CEO David Antwi have fueled speculations of internal conflicts, raising concerns about the site's operational stability.
The situation has left users bewildered and concerned, prompting a call for transparency and resolution to ensure GhanaWeb's continued service to its loyal community.
Bright Simons, the Vice President of IMANI Africa, has been shedding light on the situation surrounding GhanaWeb.
In his statement, he characterized GhanaWeb as a “legendary pioneering Ghanaian online media channel” and acknowledged that the platform is currently facing a “bit of a technical challenge.”
Mr Simons delved into the platform's history, mentioning that GhanaWeb was founded in 1992 as GhanaHomePage and transitioned to Ghanaweb in 1998 under the guidance of its first Dutch architect, Francis Akoto. The platform is renowned for introducing a minimalist style reminiscent of AOL-type portals for Ghana.
In his commentary, Simons pointed out that over the years, the technical architect (presumably referring to Francis Akoto) became more involved on the business side of GhanaWeb. He also highlighted a recent tie-up with investors that expanded the scope of GhanaWeb following the establishment of Africaweb.
The mention of “strategic differences” raises questions about internal disagreements or divergent viewpoints within the leadership or stakeholders of GhanaWeb. This could suggest that conflicting visions for the platform's direction may be contributing to the current challenges it is facing.
Overall, Bright Simons' insights provide a historical context to GhanaWeb's development and suggest that the platform's current issues might be rooted in a combination of technical challenges and strategic disagreements among those involved in its management and operation.