Mr Emmanuel Sackey, President of the Ghana National Association of the Deaf (GNAD), has appealed to political parties to prioritize the establishment of sign language interpreters training centres.

He called on political parties to recognize sign language as an official language for the deaf in Ghana, “involve deaf people in decision- making process, and employ full time sign language interpreters in hospitals nationwide”.

He expressed concern that politicians over the years have discriminated against persons with ear impairment, and called for integration of sign language into various sectors economy.

Mr Sackey said these at a public forum in Accra organized by GNAD and sponsored by STAR- Ghana, a multi-donor pooled funding mechanism by DFID, DANIDA and EU, project for political parties to educate persons with hearing disabilities on the electioneering process.

The GNAD President accused both governmental and private sector institutions and healthcare centres for failing to adhere to the National Disability Act (715).

Mr Sackey said it was unfortunate that most deaf persons had employable skills in various areas but are denied opportunities to prove their worth, stressing that political parties and the general public should see deaf persons as a worthy contributor to national development.

He called for the immediate implementation of the Act 715, stressing that: “The inability to implement the Act has hindered us from demanding our rights and expectations.

“We hope that political parties would focus on our expectation and advocate for us”.

Mr Sackey revealed that the Association had 240,000 members representing about one per cent of the total population, hence the need for them to be factored in national development programs in all sectors of the economy.

Mr Michael Ampong, Greater Accra Regional Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said statistics provided by the association on their membership should be of concern to all political parties.

He said looking at results of the 2008 elections, the current administration won with about 40,000 votes therefore if the NPP had concentrated and involved persons with ear impairment in the campaign process, they would have won the elections out right.

Mr Ampong called on participants to cast their vote for the NPP stressing that, a vote for them would ensure quality healthcare, and ensure the accomplishment of the free Senior High School education promise made by Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, the flagbearer of the party.

Mr Kofi Wayo leader of the United Renaissance Party (URP), promised to use his outfit to advocate for the recognition and acceptance of persons with ear impairment in the government and private sector.

STAR- Ghana is an NGO that seeks to increase the accountability and responsiveness of government, traditional authorities and private enterprises to Ghanaian citizens and also to increase the influence of civil societies and Parliament in the governance of public goods and service delivery.**