Churches Want Local Artistes For Free But Pay Foreign Artistes In Dollars – Cwesi Oteng

Ghanaian gospel musician Cwesi Oteng has sparked conversation once again after openly criticizing the long-standing disparity in how churches treat local and foreign gospel artistes.

Speaking in an interview with Fiifi Olsen on YouTube, the God Dey Bless Me hitmaker lamented that many churches in Ghana expect homegrown gospel musicians to perform for free, while they willingly pay huge sums—often in dollars—to invite foreign gospel acts.

According to him, the practice is not only unfair but also deeply discouraging for Ghanaian artistes who invest heavily in their craft, production, branding, rehearsals and ministry.

“The church expects local artistes not to charge, but they pay foreign artistes in dollars,” he stressed.

Cwesi Oteng explained that local artistes are frequently pressured with spiritual sentiments such as “You are ministering to God, not man” or “Your gift is from God, so don’t commercialize it.” However, the same churches do not apply this standard to international musicians they invite for conventions, concerts, or special programs.

He emphasized that professionalism should not be compromised simply because the artistes are Ghanaian.

“We all spend money to create music, record, rehearse, and move with teams. Ministry is also work. If foreign artistes deserve payment, why shouldn’t local ones?” he questioned.

The award-winning singer noted that this pattern contributes to the slow financial growth of Ghanaian gospel musicians, making it difficult for them to reach the same levels of production quality and global reach as their foreign counterparts.

Source: Ghanaweb