News
Plight of deaf women in Ghana
Ms Yaghr(left) and Mrs Adjei (right)
Women in Ghana go through multiple challenges ranging from emotional, psychological and economic trials.
They are often at the bottom of the social order with poor access to health, education, credit and access to land.
The situation is even more worrying if they have any form of disability.
In the case of the deaf women, they suffer discrimination and stigmatisation in areas such as health, education and commerce due to their inability to communicate effectively.
Deaf women are sometimes misdiagnosed at the hospitals, cheated at the market places while others are denied education, an act which defeats the Sustainable Development Goals five and 10 which talks about gender equality and reduced inequalities.
Population
In Ghana, according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC), about 470,737 people have some degree of hearing loss. Out of the number, 385,794 have some difficulties, 65,495 have a lot of difficulties while 19,448 cannot hear at all.
Two deaf women, Ms Christiana Yaghr and Mrs Mabel Mintaah Adjei, shared their experiences with The Spectator newspaper last Thursday, bringing to the fore the challenges they face in the health, education and other sectors of the country.
According to them the basic and common challenge to the deaf community is communication which they described as the pivot that all other problems revolved.
Mrs Adjei’s biggest concern is the treatment often meted to them at health facilities.
She explained that deaf women were sometimes delayed at the hospital because health practitioners do not understand them and vice versa.
“We are unduly delayed at the hospitals to the extent that when those who can hear come to meet us at the hospital, they are attended to, leaving us sometimes to our fate,” she said.
Mrs Adjei said deaf women are denied information on breast cancer, menstruation, mental, sexual and reproductive health as well as other ailments associated with women.
“Due to the inability to communicate, some deaf mothers do not know how to breastfeed their babies after giving birth or even know the right food to give the babies after weaning them; this is a big challenge,” she said.
Mrs Adjei said some hearing people refuse to transact business with the deaf, adding that “we can do everything hearing people do, we can engage in marketing, advertisement and other businesses.”
According to Ms Yaghr who is currently studying Special Education at the University of Education, Winneba, her friend who was deaf, had to be operated on thrice during childbirth because she could not get the information being passed on to pregnant women at the antenatal sessions.
She said as a result, most deaf women do not visit the hospitals when they are either sick or pregnant.
Plight
Shedding more light on their plight, Ms Yaghr said, deaf women most often prefer to buy at the shopping malls and stores instead of the open markets because they feel safe and comfortable there.
She said at the shopping malls, they use a lot of gestures to express what they want to buy but at the open markets the market women sometimes try to cheat them which occasionally ends up in misunderstandings.
“We sometimes try to read the lips of the market women and ask the price of the items from different people before settling on whom to buy from,” she added.
She noted that it was unfortunate some market women think they cannot calculate the things they buy, for which reason they attempt to inflate the prices.
This, according to her, makes it uncomfortable for them to buy at the market, hence the decision to buy from shopping malls and other outlets.
With regard to education, they both agreed that the fees were not expensive but what affects them was hiring a sign language interpreter.
Mrs Adjei who is studying Basic Education, Distance Learning option at the University of Education, Winneba says “I pay my sign language interpreter GH¢700 a month, so you can imagine the money I would have paid my interpreter after my education,” she added.
Both women called on the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) to lead the charge to fight stigmatisation and discrimination against the deaf women, stating that “our leaders must take our issues to the authorities.”
Advocacy
They said, once the advocacy on the adoption of Ghanaian Sign Language (GSL) is intensified and gains recognition by government as the official language for the deaf and legally backed and approved as one of the national languages, it would mitigate some of the challenges encountered by them, especially the women.
“We have to start teaching sign language in schools to make it easier for the hearing population to know the right terminologies for the deaf and be able to communicate with them,” Ms Yaghr said.
“It is my hope that once the GSL is recognised and approved, Ghanaian sign language will be inculcated into the school’s curriculum and taught in schools.
“This will allow more hearing people to learn and appreciate sign language as well as study about deafness and promote socialisation and bridge the gap between the deaf and hearing community in the country,” she said.
Ms Yaghr said there was no difference between those who can hear and deaf women, and called on government to see to the healthcare and welfare needs of deaf women in the country.
She admitted that GNAD had organised some training on women’s health but was not enough as they were not able to reach out to hearing-impaired women in other parts of the country.
Mrs Adjei urged her colleague women to further their education as most of them had refused to continue after Junior High School (JHS), saying an educated woman was an empowered woman.
She again urged them to be confident, believe in themselves, have a positive mindset and use their talents judiciously.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
For the first time in its seven-year history, the celebrated Guinea Fowl Bazaar has been brought to Accra, marking a significant expansion of an event that has, for the past six years, been a staple in Tamale.
The two-day cultural and culinary festival, held from May 1–2, drew over 500 patrons and featured nearly 20 vendors, to promote Northern Ghana’s rich food culture particularly guinea fowl delicacies.
Hosted by By Faith Catering Services, the bazaar brought together traditional leaders, cultural groups, food entrepreneurs, and government representatives in a display of heritage and enterprise.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Angelo Dogbe, the Northern Regional Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority underscored the importance of promoting indigenous cuisine as a tool for economic development and cultural preservation. Chiefs from the Northern Region also graced the occasion, lending traditional authority and reinforcing the cultural significance of the festival.
A major highlight of the bazaar was a series of captivating cultural performances representing the diverse tribes of the Northern Region. Attendees were treated to traditional music, dance, and attire, transforming the venue into a lively tapestry of Northern identity and pride.
Vendors expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to showcase their products to a new audience in the capital. Many noted increased visibility, networking opportunities, and strong sales throughout the two-day event.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of By Faith Catering Services, Mrs. Matilda Zenabu Pipio described the Accra edition as a strategic move to broaden the reach of the festival and create new economic pathways for vendors and producers from the north.
She announced plans to make the Accra bazaar an annual event, emphasizing its potential to boost employment, promote guinea fowl production, and introduce more Ghanaians to the unique flavours of Northern cuisine.
She said, the event is a platform for cultural exchange, economic empowerment, and national unity through food.
She commended partners and called on more organisers to support and invest in initiatives like this.
Meanwhile, the organizers of Guinea fowl Bazaar paid a courtesy call to the Editor of Spectator, Mrs. Georgina Naa-Maku Quaittoo and Mr. David Adadevoh, Acting Editor of The Ghanaian Times.
Both editors lauded the initiatives and encouraged the organizers to sustain it.
Organizers for the initiative and called on stakeholders and cooperate bodies to support this good course.
By Geoffrey Buta.
MTN Ghana has hosted more than 200 students from various educational institutions in Accra for an engaging, hands-on technology immersion at MTN House, bringing classroom theory to life and fueling interest in STEM and digital innovation.
Students from Ashesi University, Ghana International School, Cradle Star Academy, and Kinderland School explored MTN Ghana’s rich history, core values, customer-focused innovations, and digital transformation agenda.
They were introduced to the company’s sustainability and social impact initiatives, spanning education, youth empowerment and community development. A key highlight of the visits was a tour of MTN Ghana’s Network Operations Centre (NOC) and data centres.
The students gained first-hand exposure to the advanced technology, systems, and expertise powering seamless connectivity for millions daily – offering a rare look into how MTN ensures network performance, security, and resilience.
Speaking on the initiative, the Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Ghana, Adwoa Wiafe, noted, “Hosting students at MTN House reflects our commitment to shaping Ghana’s digital future. As we deliver our Ambition 2030 strategy, we are deepening investments in youth development through programmes like the Bright Scholarship, the MTN Digital Skills Academy, and collaborations on the One Million Coders Programme and the Girls in ICT initiative led by the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation.”
Paschal Paaga, Manager for IT Projects Implementation, emphasised the importance of experiential learning.
‘’By opening our doors, we are helping to bridge the gap between academia and industry. We want young people to see the real-world impact of technology and be inspired to pursue careers in STEM.”
For many participants, the experience was transformative. Maame Sapomaa, a Level 300 Information Systems student from Ashesi University, shared, “The visit was incredibly inspiring. Everything we have learned in the classroom came to life, and we were exposed to new concepts beyond our studies. It has motivated me even more to pursue a career in technology.”
As MTN Ghana advances its Ambition 2030 vision, the company remains committed to driving digital inclusion, platform-led innovation, and building strategic partnerships that support Ghana’s long-term socio-economic development.
