Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Executive Director Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), David Anyaele, has called for the inclusion of the deaf and dumb in governance.
He made the call in his message to mark this year’s International Day of Sign Language.
The event, he said, “is an opportunity for us to ask ourselves critical questions on the extent to which we include deaf persons in governance and socio-economic activities in the society; the extent of availability of sign language interpreters in Nigeria that could support the teaming Nigerians with hearing impairment.”
He gave the theme for this year’s International Day of Sign Language as: “Sign Language Unite Us.”
He lamented the marginalisation of the deaf and dumb in the scheme of affairs in Nigeria and called for a change.
“This is because being deaf in Nigeria attracts exclusion, isolation and stigmatization as well as poverty,” he agonised.
He noted that “over 80% of deaf persons in the world are living in developing countries, with millions of Nigerians having one level of hearing impairment or the other, thus, acknowledging that Sign Language is the major channel for accessing the world by the deaf community, yet its awareness among Nigerians is very low.”
The CCD boss said that people with hearing and speech impairment find it hard to survive in Nigeria.
“Appreciating that the major form of communication between the Deaf community and members of their society is through Sign Language, which is a tool for social interaction for Deaf persons; and concern that access to Sign Language for Deaf persons in hospitals, schools, government institutions and other public centres are very limited, if not impossible. One wonders how the persons with hearing impairment in Nigeria are coping with such a harsh society.”
He said that “Sign Language is the surest way of encouraging the Deaf community’s participation in the electoral process, as evidence shows that many political parties make no provisions for it.”
The CCD boss called on the Federal Ministry of Information in collaboration with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to ensure awareness creation on Sign Language in Nigeria.
He also called on the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to take appropriate steps to promote and recognize Sign Language as a lingua franca in Nigeria.
This, according to him, is to reduce the gap between the deaf community and the larger society.
He equally said that incentives should be provided by Federal and State Governments to encourage and increase more students enrollment for Sign Language studies in our higher institutions.
“This is to ensure availability of Sign Language Interpreters in every location in Nigeria to support the increasing number of deaf persons; even as the need for capacity building on sign language usage in our public institutions has become imperative,” he added.
He also said that “INEC and political parties must ensure availability of Sign Language interpreters during the forthcoming general election even as campaign kicks off ending of this month.”
