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Give legal backing to sign language – GNAD President
The Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD) has called on the Government to give legal recognition of the Ghanaian Sign Language (GSL) as a native language of the Deaf and hard of hearing people in Ghana.
The association said communication with to the deaf community faced some challenges and believed that legal backing for GSL as done in countries like Uganda, South Africa, USA, and Denmark would help remove the barrier which impeded access to education, health, employment and other social economic activities of the deaf.
The President of GNAD Mr. Matthew Kubachua said this during the commemoration of the International Day of Sign Languages held in Accra last week.
The day which was marked in partnership with the National Association of Sign Language Interpreters- Ghana (NASLIG) was on the theme ‘Recognition of Ghanaian Sign-Language, we Sign for Human Rights’. It was to also raise awareness of the importance of sign languages and strengthen their statuses.
According to Mr. Kubachua, these barriers existed because of the lack of legal recognition of the Ghanaian Sign Language as the native language of the deaf in Ghana.
“Government’s effort at disability inclusion can only be achieved when the state recognises Ghanaian Sign Language as one of the native languages and prioritises the use of it in the provision of services,” he said.
He indicated that the legal recognition of Ghanaian Sign Language and the subsequent formulation of modalities in its use for the provision of services for the deaf and Hard of Hearing would improve the socio-economic conditions and quality of life of the deaf.
“On the occasion of International Day of Sign Languages, GNAD wishes to draw the attention of the government to the fact that the revised Persons with Disability Act, Act 715.
“The implementation of the Act holds key to disability inclusion in Ghana and any delay in its passage will deny persons with disabilities their right to enjoy the rights to divinity as citizens of Ghana,” Mr. Kabachua stressed.
He called on the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to expand access to quality basic and secondary education to as many deaf children as possible through the expansion of existing schools for the deaf, allocation of one of the newly constructed Senior High Schools and the engagement of qualified sign language interpreters in some senior high schools to improve access to inclusive education.
A lecturer at the Department of Special Education, University of Education, Winneba, Dr Daniel Fobi also said that due to the lack of early ear screening of children, those born deaf were not detected early until they reached about four or five years.
This, he said, was detrimental to the growth of the child and affected their performance compared with their hearing counterparts.
Dr Fobi urged parents to ensure their children were screened early to give deaf children early access to the learning of the sign language.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
INCREASING spate of road accidents, high rate of teenage pregnancies are worrying health issues confronting health workers in the Amansie South district of the Ashanti region. Road accident cases accounted for about 80 per cent of emergency cases in 2025, while a total of 728 teenage pregnancies were recorded in the district during the same period.
Mr Ofosu Kwabi Nasas, the District Director of Health Services, who announced these worrying trends in the district, said five deaths were recorded in these road accidents.
• Bishop Owusu Akyeaw
He was speaking at the 2025 annual performance review meeting of the health directorate at Manso-Adubia.
Mr Nasas expressed concern over the high rate of motor accidents in the district, attributing part of the problem to the poor state of road networks.
He said the dilapidated roads did not only contribute to accidents but also delayed timely access to healthcare services.
He therefore, appealed to the government to prioritise road rehabilitation within the district to help reduce accidents and improve emergency response.
Mr Nasas said the district recorded 728 cases of teenage pregnancies in 2025, describing the situation as alarming and a significant public health concern.
He urged parents and guardians to intensify supervision and guidance of their children to help curb the growing trend.
He emphasised that, stronger parental involvement, community education, and collaboration among stakeholders would be essential in addressing the issue and safeguarding the future of young girls in the district.
The Health Director further lamented the challenges facing healthcare workers in the district, particularly the high cost of accommodation because of the area’s active mining activities.
He explained that, high rent had made it difficult for many health professionals to secure affordable housing, forcing some to request for transfers to other districts.
He appealed to the government and relevant authorities to consider providing housing support for health workers to retain skilled personnel and ensure effective healthcare delivery.
In addition to housing challenges, Mr Nasas noted that, the district was currently facing a shortage of healthcare personnel.
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Ladies in Parliamentary Service, Women Caucus interact with Street Academy children to commemorate IWD
THE Ladies in Parliamentary Service (LIPS) in collaboration with the women’s caucus of parliament have paid a visit to the Street Academy in Accra to interact with the children and assess the needs of the institution.
The visit formed part of LIPS activities to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day (IWD) with the children of the academy.
It also formed part of efforts to advance the objectives for this year’s theme which is “give to gain.”
The visit also afforded the lawmakers the opportunity to understand the challenges facing the academy, as they toured the various departments within the academy.
They shared lunch packs to the children and also interacted with them.
Speaking during the visit, the Board Chair of the Academy, Ms Lydia Sackey Addo, said the interaction gave the children and management the opportunity to share their experiences and challenges with the visiting delegation.
Ms Sackey Addo noted that the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North Ms Ewurabena (Right) with other members of the women caucus of parliament interacting with the children
academy played a critical role in nurturing children who might otherwise be excluded from formal education and society.
She added that the visit would help draw attention to the importance of supporting such institutions to ensure vulnerable children were given the opportunity to learn and develop their talents.
The Founder and Executive Director of the Academy, Ataa Lartey, also expressed appreciation to the Women’s Caucus for the visit, describing it as a source of motivation for both staff and students.
He explained that the academy worked to develop the talents of children who had previously lived on the streets and helped reintegrate them into society through education and skills training.
Ataa Lartey said although the academy had made progress over the years, it continued to face several challenges, particularly with feeding.
“Our major challenge is feeding the children. Some of them come from very difficult backgrounds and when they are hungry, it becomes difficult for them to concentrate in class,” he said.
“When a child is fed, they are able to concentrate and understand what is being taught in the classroom,” he added.
Ataa Lartey appealed to individuals, organisations and government institutions to support the academy, particularly in providing food and teaching and learning materials for the children.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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