Tarkwa: Mr. George Kakra Ussher, President of the Western Regional branch of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), has called on Ghanaians to recognize and respect the language of the deaf community. He emphasized the importance of supporting policies that guarantee sign language services in schools, hospitals, courts, workplaces, and public institutions.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Ussher made these remarks during the celebration of this year's International Week of the Deaf (IWD) at the Tamso Community Centre in Tarkwa, Western Region. The event, themed 'No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights,' highlighted that sign language is the mother tongue of the deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Mr. Ussher stressed that without recognition, promotion, and investment in sign language, the rights of deaf people cannot be fully realized.
He urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and other partners present to support the deaf community. He also expressed gratitude to the government for its commitment to disability inclusion and acknowledged the contributions of chiefs, traditional councils, and municipal leaders. Mr. Ussher suggested collaboration with all stakeholders to ensure that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are achieved for the benefit of deaf people in Ghana and worldwide.
Mr. Kwame Prempeh, Superintendent of Economic Development and Livelihood Restoration at AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine, affirmed the company's commitment to supporting initiatives that foster inclusivity and employment within their host communities and the Tarkwa Nsuaem municipality. He emphasized the importance of building a society where barriers are removed and opportunities are shared equally.
Mr. Wisdom Bakuyeya, the Municipal Social Welfare Officer for Tarkwa Nsuaem, emphasized their mission to build an inclusive community with equal access to education, employment, and social opportunities. Mr. Daniel Kwame Okyere, the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Chairman of the Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD), encouraged institutions to adopt inclusive recruitment strategies benefiting Persons with Disabilities, including the deaf.
The IWD, observed on October 3 every year since its establishment in 1958 at a World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) conference in Rome, serves as a platform to advocate for the rights of deaf people worldwide. In Ghana, GNAD, as a member of the WFD, works with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection and other partners to advance the rights of deaf people. This collaboration aims to raise awareness about the importance of access to education, employment opportunities, and sign language interpretation services.
Despite these efforts, the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and Ghana's Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715), which states that persons with disabilities have the right to accessibility and full inclusion in society, still lags behind global standards in Africa, including Ghana.
