Miss-Delectable
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http://allafrica.com/stories/200605100715.html
The Deaf Society of Ghana has appealed to the government to train more people in sign language to make communication easier for people with hearing and speaking impairment.
The appeal was made at the Deaf Christian Forum and Exhibition organized by the Deaf Christian Life Outreach Ministry.
The forum was under theme "Deaf Evangelism, Social Reform, Our Vision, Mission and Challenges".
The President and General Overseer of the Deaf Christian Life Outreach Ministry, Pastor Godfrey Augusttin said Ghana became the third African Country in 1957 to introduce sign language, following Egypt and South Africa, to serve an educational purpose for the deaf in the society.
He disclosed that sign language was introduced by Dr. Adam Foster, an Africa American a missionary and educationist with hearing impairment who used sign language as the mode of communication to reach out to the people with similar afflictions.
"But the sign language is not effective in Ghanaian schools and churches" he stated. Pastor Augusttin said even though Ghana introduced sign language before Uganda, the latter had achieved a lot in that direction. He therefore asked Ghanaians to see how far the Ugandans have gone with sign language and emulate them.
He called on parents and families to support people with disabilities especially those with hearing and speaking impairment and avoid forcing them into marriages.
He also appealed to Parliament to pass the Disability Bill, "so as to make provision for the disabled at the hospitals, law courts and consistent sign language on TV news and educational programmes."
The General Secretary of the Deaf society of Ghana, Mr. Theo Oklu said people with hearing impairment have been neglected for so long and it is time Ghanaians heard their plight.
He said "even though they can not hear nor speak they are very good at crafts and they can also be used for investigative purposes."
Mr. Oklu said the President's Special Initiative (PSI) on distance learning should involve the deaf, because at the end of the day, they are expected to write the same examinations.
The Deaf Society of Ghana has appealed to the government to train more people in sign language to make communication easier for people with hearing and speaking impairment.
The appeal was made at the Deaf Christian Forum and Exhibition organized by the Deaf Christian Life Outreach Ministry.
The forum was under theme "Deaf Evangelism, Social Reform, Our Vision, Mission and Challenges".
The President and General Overseer of the Deaf Christian Life Outreach Ministry, Pastor Godfrey Augusttin said Ghana became the third African Country in 1957 to introduce sign language, following Egypt and South Africa, to serve an educational purpose for the deaf in the society.
He disclosed that sign language was introduced by Dr. Adam Foster, an Africa American a missionary and educationist with hearing impairment who used sign language as the mode of communication to reach out to the people with similar afflictions.
"But the sign language is not effective in Ghanaian schools and churches" he stated. Pastor Augusttin said even though Ghana introduced sign language before Uganda, the latter had achieved a lot in that direction. He therefore asked Ghanaians to see how far the Ugandans have gone with sign language and emulate them.
He called on parents and families to support people with disabilities especially those with hearing and speaking impairment and avoid forcing them into marriages.
He also appealed to Parliament to pass the Disability Bill, "so as to make provision for the disabled at the hospitals, law courts and consistent sign language on TV news and educational programmes."
The General Secretary of the Deaf society of Ghana, Mr. Theo Oklu said people with hearing impairment have been neglected for so long and it is time Ghanaians heard their plight.
He said "even though they can not hear nor speak they are very good at crafts and they can also be used for investigative purposes."
Mr. Oklu said the President's Special Initiative (PSI) on distance learning should involve the deaf, because at the end of the day, they are expected to write the same examinations.