The Ghana Disability Forum is set to petition the Government of Ghana over the dissemination of information on the Coronavirus without sign language, reports Modern Ghana.
According to the petition signed by the group’s President Alexander Tetteh, the government has failed to inform persons with hearing disabilities and therefore the need to do so.
“The President’s televised nationwide State of COVID-19 address in the night of Sunday 15 March 2020 was regrettably delivered without provision for simultaneous sign language Interpretation thus cutting off a significant section of the community.”
The groups further blame the Ghanaian society for leaving out people who are deaf in the wake of the world pandemic through information sharing.
The petition addressed to the government through its Information Ministry urges the government to take a critical look at the Right to Information Act and make necessary amendments to address the entire country in the face of the Coronavirus.
“We petition the Ministry of Information to ensure that there is a mandatory Sign Language Interpretation of all major news bulletins on Television Stations or Channels in Ghana in order not to leave anyone behind.”
The Ghana Disability Forum however indicated that some of the media briefings held had sign language interpretations but were poorly done.
