Meet the most powerful women in the Ghanaian media
The ownership and management of the Ghanaian media is male dominated, however, three women are proving to be trailblazers in the sector.
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A research conducted by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) dubbed the Media Ownership Monitor project has found that of the 25 monitored media companies, only two have female owners: Stella Wilson Agyepong for Oman FM Limited and Edith Dankwa for Business and Financial Times Limited.
According to the research, women also rarely hold management positions: out of the 21 identifiable CEO’s, only three are female: Edith Dankwah for Business and Financial Times Ltd., Carol Anang for state-owned New Times Corporation, and Gina Blay for Western Publications.
GAB Productions Limited owned by Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko and his wife Nana Adjoa Hackman Otchere-Darko as well as Western Publication Limited owned by The Blay Family - Frederick Blay, Gina Blay and Kwame Blay - list a woman as minority shareowner. Both are wives of the majority shareholders of the respective companies.
The gender ratio for board members of media organizations also followed a similar pattern.
Edith Dankwa (Business & Financial Times)
Edith Dankwa has developed Business & Financial Times Limited into an award-winning “Superbrand” (2012) that was adjudged as the Best Newspaper for Social Security Reporting by Ghana’s pension’s organisation, the Social Security and Insurance Trust in 2012 and 2013.
For her achievements, Edith Dankwa was declared ‘Best Print Media Entrepreneur’ in 2011. She was also recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Personalities in Ghana for 2013.
Edith Dankwa has formerly served on a number of boards including TV3, Ghana’s biggest private TV network, and the International Chamber of Commerce (Ghana). She is also the chairperson of the African Business Leaders Foundation. Besides being invested in media management positions, she is board member of Unilever Ghana.
In 2016, she also founded the ‘Executive Women Network’, together with five other successful business women. They aim to encourage women to strive for success and take responsibility on the national and international level.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management Studies, a Post Graduate Certificate in Marketing as well as in Newspaper Management, and an Executive MBA from the GIMPA Business School. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Business Administration (International Business).
Mrs Stella Wilson-Agyapong (Kencity Media)
Mrs Stella Wilson-Agyapong is the registered owner of Oman FM Limited (Kencity Media) which manages Oman FM and Net 2 TV, according to the National Communications Authority.
She is married to Kennedy Ohene Agyapong. They are involved in the KenCity Group of Companies, which comprises of 13 companies stretching from media, cold stores to real estate.
Kennedy Agyapong is the CEO of KenCity Media, his wife Stella operates as the company’s owner according to the National Communication Authority. There is, however, no company profile at Registrar General on Oman FM Limited or Kencity Media.
She was a Council Member of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) from 2010 to 2012. She was nominated as Media Entrepreneur of the Year, for an award for the media entrepreneurs who have demonstrated exceptional media entrepreneurship skills in 2013.
Mrs Stella Wilson-Agyapong is the owner of Mina D'Oro Ventures and Messrs Imperial World Business Limited and all subsidiaries of KenCity Group of Companies.
Ms Carol Annang (New Times Corporation)
The National Media Commission (NMC) in consultation with President John Dramani Mahama appointed Ms Carol Annang, the Chief Executive Officer of New World Securities, as the Managing Director of New Times Corporation (NTC) in 2015.
Her appointment, which took effect on January 2, 2015 and will expire in four years (2019).
Ms Annang, is a product of Achimota School and the University of Ghana, holds a B.Sc Administration in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a Marketing option.
Nana Adjoa Hackman Otchere-Darko (GAB Productions Limited)
Nana Adjoa Hackman Otchere-Darko is married to Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko and both practice in a law firm called Africa Legal Associates as senior partners and managing partners, respectively.
The couple also owns shares in a company called GAB Productions Limited, according to the Register General. GAB Productions Limited publishes The Statesman newspaper.
Nana Adjoa was not known much in the public space until recently when she was appointed a member of the board of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). She owns GAB Productions Limited.
Gina Blay (Western Publication Limited)
Gina Blay is a Ghanaian journalist and diplomat married to Frederick Blay.
She is currently Ghana's ambassador to Germany and also doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of Western Publication Limited a print media house. The main publication of the house is Daily Guide Newspaper.
She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and survived the ailment after a series of chemotherapy treatments.
Gina Blay is married to the acting National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay.