The Ghana Psychology Council (GPC) has inducted into its fold 606 newly licensed psychologists, para professionals and lay practitioners into full practice.

The inductees were drawn from various accredited training institutions in the country, namely University of Cape Coast; University of Ghana; the University of Education, Winneba Counselling Centre, Wellness and Counselling Unit of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA); the Ashesi University Counselling Centre; the College of Counselling and Psychology, TUCEE Institute of Training and Technology, and the Trinity Theological Seminary.

Those inducted also included those from foreign training institutions who passed the pre-registration examination.

The Board Chairperson of the council, Prof. Angela Ofori-Atta, administered the oath of membership to the inductees, who received certificates to practise as different professionals, including Clinical Psychology, Social Psychology, Industrial or Organisational Psychology, Rehabilitation, Disability and Development Professionals, Guidance and Counselling Professionals, Pastoral Counsellors, Psychologist Assistants, Para Professional Counsellors and Lay Practitioners.

The practitioners were inducted at the 8th Induction Ceremony of GPC at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra yesterday

The ceremony was held on the theme: “Professionalism in the Training and Practice of Psychology: The Role of a Regulator”.

Support

The Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, in speech read on his behalf, said the ministry was committed to providing support for mental health services delivered by well-trained and licensed practitioners.

That, he said, aligned with the ministry's objective of achieving universal health coverage.

The health minister also called for a review and accreditation of psychology programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels to ensure high standards of training.

Dr Okoe Boye urged the council to vigilantly monitor and guide practitioners to ensure adherence to ethical standards and professional conduct.

Accreditation

Prof. Ofori-Atta encouraged practitioners to verify the accreditation status of any course before enrolment to ensure eligibility for licensure and professional advancement.

She described the council as a regulatory body dedicated to safeguarding and promoting professionalism through rigorous oversight, ethical practices and continuous learning.

Since the inauguration of the Board in October 2022, Prof. Ofori-Atta said it had undertaken several strategic initiatives such as the introduction of measures to support practitioners, including granting amnesty to 60 individuals who were previously practising without licence, approved a 50 per cent waiver on registration and licence renewal fees for church counsellors.

Prof. Ofori-Atta called for collaboration among training institutions, professional associations, and policymakers to build an ecosystem that upheld high standards of practice in psychology.

She also encouraged practitioners to renew their licences annually by December 31 to remain in good standing, adding that with the timing of their induction, the board had granted and allowed their first renewal to be due by December 31, 2025.

Professional

The acting Registrar of the council, Anna Plange, said this year’s batch was the largest group of professionals inducted into the country since its establishment in 2013.

“This reflects the growing recognition of psychology’s critical role in addressing mental health and societal challenges in Ghana,” she added.

Ms Plange added that the GPC was committed to providing clear ethical guidelines and robust frameworks to help practitioners to navigate complex dilemmas, while prioritising the welfare of their clients.

She expressed concern over majority of practitioners concentrated on providing psychological services in urban areas such as Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast, leaving many communities underserved.