Lawyer and musician Ace Anan Ankomah has argued that churches should fairly pay their musicians if they demand high-quality sound production.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM with Kwame Dadzie on April 26, 2025, the astute legal practitioner explained that achieving sound quality comparable to international gospel acts like Maverick City requires huge financial investment, extensive rehearsals, and professional studio work, far beyond what volunteer musicians can offer.
“If the church demands City-level sound, musicians can’t deliver that with just an hour of rehearsal at home and two hours on Saturday. You need stems (pre-recorded digital tracks), studio time, in-ear monitors (like P16s), and post-production editing to ensure flawless output for platforms like YouTube,” he added.
Ace Ankomah also pointed out that recording a single high-quality song costs at least GH¢5,000, with expenses reaching up to GH¢12,000 depending on studio and artiste fees.
He also pointed out that the equipment would need to be updated, which could cost up to $80,000.
“This is my point. If you (the pastor) are demanding the quality of music, which requires that the musician must give more time than he can afford to give for free, then the two of you must sit down and have a meeting of minds. Because listen, there’s pre-production, there’s the live recording, there’s the post-production, then you’re going to have to mix the sound. And you just don’t mix sound and put it out there. You have to master the sound. These are all production stages,” he added.
His comments follow recent statements by Bishop Dag Heward-Mills, Founder of Lighthouse Chapel International, who criticised musicians for demanding payment to perform in church.
In a viral social media video, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills described the trend as “nonsense” and labelled it contrary to the spirit of voluntary worship.
Similarly, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome also criticised secular artistes who began their careers in church, accusing them of exploiting the platform that nurtured their talent.
These comments have sparked backlash, particularly from stakeholders of the music industry, who have labelled them as disrespectful.
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