Rev Lawrence Tetteh Retracts and Apologises to UG Over HIV Comment
“I deeply regret the statement made concerning the health status of the students of the University of Ghana and wish to apologize and unconditionally retract the statements.”
Tele-evangelist Rev Lawrence Tetteh has issued an unreserved apology to the University of Ghana after a demand by the institution over a comment he made during an interview.
According to him, the statement was not in any way intended to undermine the university, cause fear, stigma, or misinform the public.
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“I deeply regret the statement made concerning the health status of the students of the University of Ghana and wish to apologize and unconditionally retract the statements.”
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He explained, “I deal with lots of people in my line of duty and get first-hand information on very sensitive issues they are faced with. That notwithstanding, I do not share any of this information privately or publicly because I hold in high esteem the confidence these people have in me to share such information.
“It is rather unfortunate that in referring to the youth with such problems, I linked or associated it with students of the University of Ghana, thereby giving the university community cause for worry.”
HIV Comment
In an interview on October 24, Rev Tetteh said a number of students in the institution are HIV positive and yet living promiscuous lives.
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“The number of boys and girls in Legon who are HIV positive, you would have the biggest shock of your life. This is sad, this is sad and I’m happy I’m saying this on national TV.”
“Some of these young boys and young girls already on campus are living promiscuous lives and they have already contracted HIV/AIDS. These are people I have prayed for… and I’m not talking about 10 years, 5 years,” the pastor added.
Fury
The UG responded to this allegation by issuing a statement to demand immediate retraction and apology arguing that the statement is unfounded and baseless.
It inferred that it was purposed to “mislead the public and risk amplifying fear, stigma and misinformation”.
”It must be noted that public discussions around HIV/AIDS must be grounded in verified facts, not speculation. HIV status cannot be determined through counselling or prayer; scientific methods remain the only means for diagnosing infections.”
Source:opemsuo.com
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