The Head pastor of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) has condemned what he says is the suffocating Ghanaian environment that buries the dreams of its people and collapses businesses.

Dr. Mensa Otabil said the problem with Ghana is not with its citizens but the "poisonous environment" which eventually makes the citizens bad as well.

"The challenge for nations like Ghana is not the challenge of talented citizens. It is the challenge of a poisonous environment. An environment that has been poisoned by ordinariness, by mediocrity and sometimes by a clear agenda to destroy talents.

"And how can a nation be great when its systems are fighting the talent of its people? he asked.

He was speaking to an army of young entrepreneurs who had gathered for the grande finale of the 2016 Springboard road show event hosted by Albert and Comfort Ocran.

The preacher man is incensed by the fact that Ghana is blessed with so much quality in the arts and entertainment, sports and other fields of expertise and yet many of these qualities are only and best exhibited outside the shores of Ghana.

"What have we put in the environment in the soil that is killing the dream of young men and young women. How can people go to university and for years and not know what to do? How can people with potential not fulfill their potential?

"If you take a simple area like football, the greatest Ghanaian players now were all onions that were planted in a different soil. They had to go outside Ghana for their talents to become world class. Do you think if Michael Essien had continued playing in the Ghana league we will call his name? No! Is he talented? Yes.

"A person can be so good but if planted in a wrong environment he will be so bad," he said.

Dr. Otabil in his keynote address took a swipe at government's policy of taxation. He expressed shock over the flood of taxes being imposed on Ghanaian businesses.

"You cannot overtax companies and expect business to survive at the same time," he noted.

He challenged individuals who are pregnant with dreams and are determined to fulfill those dreams to stay in Ghana and fight for a change in the poisonous environment.

He also implored the youth not to follow parties but examine the policies of the parties before deciding to support them.

Play the audio for excerpts of Otabil's comments