The Kwara State Association of The Deaf (KWSAD) yesterday urged the state government to employ sign language interpreters in all government owned establishments.
The association said the appointment of those individuals would be useful for the deaf people and enable them to communicate with the hearing people in the affected institutions of government.
Speaking at a press conference to commemorate the eight International Week of the Deaf in Ilorin yesterday, the KWSAD Chairman, Ridwan Hassan, said the appointment of sign language interpreters would also help in breaching communication barrier between the hearing people and the deaf community.
Hassan, who spoke through an interpreter at the global week themed “Sign Language Right For All”, said mode of communication with sign was not magical as being insinuated in some quarters, pointing out that it is used by the deaf and interested people to communicate with ease.
He, however, pleaded with the state government to employ hearing teachers, who are capable of understanding the sign language to teach the deaf.
Hassan regretted that there were some teachers currently employed in the state School for Special Needs that do not understand sign language, adding that they only teach without explaining due to lack of understanding of sign language.
Also speaking, KWSAD Acting Assistant Secretary, Abdulfatai Kadir, called for inclusion of the deaf in employment, empowerment and sporting events to give them a sense of belonging.
Kadir also begged the state government, religious bodies and other well to do organizations to help promote sign language as the right of the deaf.
He said, “Sign language is for all persons in disability community but the deaf specifically. The sign language is the right of all because it is mode of communication that we can understand very well. If sign language is not there, the hearing people will not understand us”.
Kadir urged every Nigerian citizen to assist and treat the deaf people as part and parcel of the society devoid of any form discrimination.
