Captain Smart, a well-known broadcaster from Ghana, has launched a vicious attack on pastors, charging them with financial exploitation of their flock. Smart bemoaned the startling rate at which pastors amass wealth at the cost of their congregation members in a recent program. "Pastors are collecting our money to buy properties for themselves," said Smart. "After giving them your money, when it finishes, they'll tell you, 'We don't use church money to cater for church members'." Pastor Mensah Otabil, who allegedly received $20 million from previous President Kuffuor to create Central University, was used as an example by Smart. Concerns have been raised, though, by the institution's outrageous tuition costs.
On the other hand, when missionary institutions like Methodist, Roman Catholic, and others initially came to Ghana, they offered free education," Smart said. In addition, he called the National Cathedral's building "one of the stupidest things under the sun any country can think of." Smart contended that Ghana's goals are out of alignment, citing the example of France's famous church, which was constructed by a private citizen before the government realized its worth. "We pay tithes, only to use it to build a National Cathedral, while our citizens struggle," Smart complained. "Black people believe that we are more foolish than wise. We need to start using common sense.