| 2008 |
Back to News page |
| Electoral Commission to Recruit Sign Language Interpreters for December Polls |
According to a daily Graphic report, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) is giving consideration to the idea of recruiting sign language interpreters to assist the hearing impaired during the December general Elections.
The willingness of the Commission to provide the interpreters is in response to a demand made by the Ghana Federation for the Disabled (GFD). Mr David Kanga the EC’s Deputy Director for finance and administration made this known at an electoral sensitization workshop in Tamale.
The Program was organized by the gender and the disability desk of the Electoral Commission in conjunction with the United Nations Development Program.
A board member of the GFD, Mr Bashiru Khalid pointed out the inaccessibility to voting centers by the blind and the physically challenged and difficulties in the acquisition of voter ID cards plus the lack of sign language interpreters, as some of the problems that could disenfranchise many disabled persons.
If the plan materialized, it would be a land mark achievement for both the Government and the Disability movement. It will also be in tune with the Disability ACT 715 of 2006. Article seven (7) of the ACT makes it an obligation for any person or entity that provide any service to the public to put in place the necessary facilities that makes the service available and accessible to persons with disabilities.
Source: Daily Graphic
|
