Defense Minister Dr. Billy Joseph has defended the Papua New Guinea Defense Force recruitment process, assuring Parliament that strict and transparent procedures were followed in selecting new recruits.
Responding to concerns raised by Morobe Governor, Hon. Renbo Paita during question time in Parliament today, Dr. Joseph said the latest recruitment drive introduced major reforms, including an online application system to eliminate interference and improve fairness.
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“There has been about two years lapse in recruitment, and many complaints were raised both within the force and the community,” he said.
“So, we introduced an online recruitment platform, which was publicly launched for anyone in the country to apply.”
He said an independent human resource firm was engaged to manage the initial selection process, removing political and administrative influence.
“That whole process was removed from myself as Minister, the Secretary, the Commander and even the Defense Council,” he said.
Dr. Joseph explained that applicants were screened based on strict criteria including age, height and other requirements before shortlisted candidates underwent physical interviews and further assessments.
“They went through a series of tests, including psychological and medical tests, before a final list of around 300 recruits were selected and sent to the training depot,” he said.
On concerns about regional imbalance, the minister said efforts were made to ensure provincial representation through a quota system.
“We have received consensus from leaders that there should be a quota for each province, and we have done that,” he said.
“But the majority of applicants came from NCD and Lae, which reflects their status as metropolitan centers with people from all provinces.”
He acknowledged that some provinces had low participation but said plans were in place to improve this in future recruitment.
“In the next recruitment cycle, we will send teams to all provinces and aim to allocate about 22 to 25 spots for each province,” he said.
Minister Joseph also assured Parliament that details of the recruitment intake would be made public.
“The list will be made clear and public on how many people were recruited and where they are from. That is not a big issue,” he said.
Addressing allegations circulating on social media about overage recruits, the minister dismissed the claims as misleading.
“The person shown in the video is a 24-year-old third-year UPNG student, not an old man as claimed,” he said.
“Sometimes we judge too quickly without verifying information.”
He also raised concern over the circulation of videos showing alleged misconduct at the training depot, confirming that investigations are underway.
“I have asked the Commander of the Defence Force to investigate. Some of the conduct seen, including vulgar language, is unacceptable and not what we want in our defense force,” he said.
The Minister urged leaders to verify information before raising concerns publicly and invited the Morobe governor to submit further questions in writing for detailed responses.
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“We must not rely on rumors. Proper processes have been followed, and we will continue to improve transparency and accountability in recruitment,” he said.