‘Counsellor’ Lutterodt can’t counsel on radio, TV - Psychology Council

THE Ghana Psychology Council has said popular radio and TV personality, George Lutterodt, cannot hold himself as a Counsellor.

The Council has cited the controversial speaker of being in contravention of the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, by calling and holding himself up as a counsellor as well as providing counselling service on radio and on television.

“The [Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act] stipulates in Section 140 that a person who does not have the requisite qualification and who is not registered with the Council but wilfully and falsely uses any name, title or in addition implying a qualification of practice as a psychologist (or counsellor); and practices or professes to practice psychology of which include counselling or receives payment to provide psychological services commits an offence and is punishable by law,” the Registrar of the Council, Dr Dinah Baah-Odoom, said in a letter addressed to the George Lutterodt.

Controversial comments

The Ghana Psychological Association has had cause to call out the teaching of the controversial radio and TV personality as outrageous and misleading.

The headline-grabbing comments he has made, include an admonition to actress, Yvonne Okoro, last year to, as a matter of urgency, consider marriage because she was growing old.

The controversial marriage counsellor wondered why at her age, Yvonne Okoro’s parents are not doing what they have to do to get her married.

Lutterodt explained that it was the duty of parents to tell their grown-up children to find a man and settle down, therefore, failure on the part of the parents to lead this campaign means they do not seek the proper welfare of their ageing children.

In 2017, he earned public outrage when he said in a video that surfaced online that Victoria Lebene Mekpa was too young to marry Kofi Adjorlolo.

According to the maverick radio and TV personality, Victoria was only trying to kill the veteran actor before his time.

He stated that "if she marries Kofi Adjorlolo she would see what I will do to her because she is a small girl. She is just about 27-years-old so she should take her time.” This led to the actress to breaking down in tears.

Media houses warned

The Ghana Psychological Council is also warning all media houses any media house against employs the services of Mr Lutterodt.

“Any media house that does this is in contravention of the above-mentioned law, Section 140(c) which states that a person who employs a non-registered practitioner; (e) without being registered under Part IV of the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857); that is not registered with the Council but practices or professes to practice psychology of which include counselling or receives payment to provide psychological services commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than two hundred and fifty penalty units and not more than five thousand penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years or both.”

The controversial personality is yet to comment on the allegations by the Ghana Psychological Council.