Prof. Wisdom Kwadwo Mprah, PhD, a senior lecturer at the Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has made history as West Africa’s first hearing-impaired professor.

His achievement is helping to redefine the possibilities for Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs), according to a report by KNUST.

Prof. Mprah’s academic journey began at Krachi Secondary School, after which he continued his studies at Okuapeman Secondary School.

Upon completing his secondary education, he pursued his first and second degrees at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

However, his academic path took an unexpected turn when he became deaf while completing his Master's degree.

Navigating life with this new impairment posed significant challenges, particularly in the workforce.

Determined to overcome these barriers, he took the courageous step of learning sign language.

“People didn’t know how to relate to my condition. So, I decided to go to Mampong School for the Deaf to learn sign language,” he recalled.

His career took a significant leap when he was awarded a scholarship to study in the United States, where he earned a Ph.D. in Disability Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

“Later, I received a scholarship to study abroad,” he shared.

After completing his doctoral studies, he joined KNUST in 2013 as a lecturer.

Since then, his research has focused on mental and reproductive health for persons with disabilities, becoming a pioneer in mental health studies within this community.

“Many people cannot differentiate between behavior caused by my deafness and behavior linked to mental health issues. They often attribute my actions to my disability rather than consider mental health factors,” he explained.

His groundbreaking work led to the development of new sign language terms to more accurately communicate mental health conditions among persons with disabilities.

“We introduced different signs to help communicate mental health conditions more precisely,” he said.

Prof. Mprah’s recent promotion to professor marks a landmark achievement, not only for him but for the entire deaf community.

He views this accomplishment as a challenge to misconceptions about the capabilities of deaf individuals.

“This proves that deaf people can succeed. Associating speech with intelligence is a flawed notion. Those born deaf can thrive if they have access to the right resources and support. With the right push, they can become anything they aspire to be,” he said.

Passionate about empowering students with disabilities, Prof. Mprah encourages them to pursue their dreams.

“A deaf person can be a lawyer, a professor, whatever they want to be, provided the right systems are in place to support them. With the right push, they can achieve their goals,” he emphasised.

While acknowledging KNUST’s efforts in fostering inclusivity, Prof. Mprah emphasised the need for more interpreters, braille resources, and accessible infrastructure for students and lecturers with disabilities nationwide.

“The university is already doing a lot, but we need more interpreters for deaf students and more resources for the blind, such as access to braille. Additionally, improving roads and pavements to be more disability-friendly will benefit those with mobility challenges. These improvements are necessary, though KNUST has been making commendable strides,” he said.

Prof. Mprah remains dedicated to advancing education and healthcare for people with disabilities and is a strong advocate for an inclusive society where no one is left behind, the report concluded.

JKB/EB

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