The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has dismissed as false reports circulating in sections of the media suggesting that about 60 per cent of applicants who recently underwent medical screening for military recruitment tested positive for HIV.
In a press release issued by Naval Captain Veronica Adzo Arhin, Acting Director General of Public Relations of the GAF, the Armed Forces described the publication as “fake news” and urged the general public to disregard it entirely.
According to the statement, the medical screening exercise for applicants is still ongoing and no results have been released or officially declared at this stage. The GAF stressed that claims suggesting that a significant number of applicants had tested positive for HIV were unfounded and misleading.
“The medical process is ongoing and no results have been declared as at now,” the statement emphasised, adding that any figures being circulated in the public domain did not originate from the Armed Forces.
The GAF noted that the publication had the potential to cause unnecessary fear, stigmatise applicants and undermine public confidence in the recruitment process. As a result, it said steps were being taken to identify and trace the individuals behind the report, describing the act as mischievous and irresponsible.
The statement further cautioned media practitioners, particularly bloggers, vloggers and content creators, to adhere strictly to professional and ethical standards in their work. It urged them to verify information with credible sources before publishing, especially on sensitive issues such as health and national security.
“The Ghana Armed Forces once again urges media practitioners especially content creators and bloggers/vloggers to be circumspect and crosscheck their facts before going to press,” the statement added.
The Armed Forces reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, professionalism and fairness in its recruitment processes and assured the public that accurate information would be communicated through official channels at the appropriate time.
It also encouraged the public to rely on verified sources for information relating to the military and national security matters, warning that the spread of unverified claims could have serious consequences for individuals and institutions alike.
