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allAfrica.com: Ghana: Deaf Condemn Exclusion From State of the Nation Address
The Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) has lamented the failure to use sign language interpreters during the delivery of the state of the nation address in Parliament by President John Evans Atta Mills on Thursday.
In a statement issued barely an hour after the President had concluded his address, the Association stated that "...majority of the Deaf population in Ghana did not hear what our President said during his State of Nation address in Parliament on February 16th, 2012" because no provision was made to cater for "Deaf people whose method of communication is Sign Language" and their means of having access to information is via sign language interpreters.
The statement, signed by Mr. Robert W. Sampana, Advocacy Officer, GNAD, said the omission was not only an infringement on the fundamental rights of the disabled but also a breach of Section 39 of the Persons with Disability law (Act 715 of 2006).
The referenced section states that: "A person or institution which organises a national, regional or district activity, shall as far as practicable ensure that facilities are made available for the participation in the activity by persons with disability."
Mr Sampana said: "It is therefore my hope and that of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) and every Deaf person in the Ghanaian Deaf Community that public events will have Sign Language Interpreters."
The Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) has lamented the failure to use sign language interpreters during the delivery of the state of the nation address in Parliament by President John Evans Atta Mills on Thursday.
In a statement issued barely an hour after the President had concluded his address, the Association stated that "...majority of the Deaf population in Ghana did not hear what our President said during his State of Nation address in Parliament on February 16th, 2012" because no provision was made to cater for "Deaf people whose method of communication is Sign Language" and their means of having access to information is via sign language interpreters.
The statement, signed by Mr. Robert W. Sampana, Advocacy Officer, GNAD, said the omission was not only an infringement on the fundamental rights of the disabled but also a breach of Section 39 of the Persons with Disability law (Act 715 of 2006).
The referenced section states that: "A person or institution which organises a national, regional or district activity, shall as far as practicable ensure that facilities are made available for the participation in the activity by persons with disability."
Mr Sampana said: "It is therefore my hope and that of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) and every Deaf person in the Ghanaian Deaf Community that public events will have Sign Language Interpreters."