Ghanaian gospel singer Esther Smith has voiced concerns about what she regards as the inequitable treatment of gospel musicians by some church leaders, particularly in relation to exorbitant fees for hiring church auditoria and expectations that performances should be free.

In an interview with Koby Kyei, the veteran gospel artiste disclosed that an unnamed church demanded GH¢60,000 for the use of its auditorium for a single evening.

She described the sum as excessive, especially given the brief period of use and the additional expenses her team had to meet.

According to Esther Smith, the fee did not cover all their requirements, so they were compelled to hire extra chairs to accommodate attendees. She observed that paying such a substantial amount for only a few hours’ use was unreasonable.

“The church charged us GH¢60,000 for using the auditorium. We even had to hire extra chairs because the ones there were not enough. We used the place for just one night. It was far too much for a space we only utilised for a few hours,” she said.

The gospel singer added that such encounters have affected how she now responds to invitations from pastors. She stressed that musicians deserve fair recompense, particularly when they are invited to minister at church events.

“If such a pastor calls me to perform, I will equally charge the same amount. I believe artists should demand what they deserve, especially when ministers come to them for performances,” she asserted.

Esther Smith also recalled a previous incident that left her disappointed. She said that although she had once donated to a particular church, her request to hire its auditorium for a show was refused because she was not a member.

“I remember I used to donate to another church back in the day. When we approached them to rent their auditorium for my show, they told us they don’t rent their premises to non-members. I was genuinely hurt by their refusal,” she stated.